Diplomatic Immunity
by melora30
Summary: Sam makes an eventful decision to save Earth and is forced to pay the price. Slight spoilers for Season 8's Affinity and Endgame. SJ and very slight SamPete.
1. Prologue

**Diplomatic Immunity**

**By Melora**

Category: Romance, Angst

Pairings: Sam/Jack; slight Sam/Pete

Season: Set during Season 8 before Threads

Spoilers: Slight ones for In the Line of Duty, Fair Game, Red Sky, Smoke and Mirrors, Disclosure, Fragile Balance, Affinity, and Endgame.

Summary: Sam makes an eventful decision to save Earth and is forced to pay the price.

Author's Notes: This is the very first story that I have posted, so any constructive criticism is appreciated. It has taken me months to work up the nerve to actually post it – and I still think the story needs work. It was written before the end of Season 8 aired. Therefore, I guess you could say it is AU since it ignores what happened in Threads. I also need to point out that I did do research on international law and I have taken many, many liberties with it to make the story work. In other words, the legal information in this story is not really accurate – it's the product of my imagination!

Many thanks go out to my betas on this. Nat and Renee – thank you so much for your help and encouragement. This is a much better story because of your suggestions!

**Prologue **

The commissary was humming with the sound of SGC personnel conversing over their midday meals. Much like any other day, most of the tables were occupied by a diverse array of officers, scientists, and enlisted personnel.

At the far end of the room, Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter was carefully balancing a great glob of blue jell-o on a spoon, guiding it gingerly into her open mouth. Her teammate and resident SGC archaeologist, Dr. Daniel Jackson, sat across from his friend smirking in amusement as he watched her savor her favorite dessert.

"You know, Sam, you are the only person I know who absolutely loves jell-o. I know many people who like jell-o, and many who hate it, but very few who truly love it."

"What can I say, Daniel? I like being different. Besides, jell-o is one of the most highly underrated desserts on the planet. And blue jell-o is probably the most underrated of all the jell-o flavors."

She smiled playfully as she guided the last heaping spoonful into her mouth, her face lighting up in utter bliss as she savored the taste. Her spoon clinked against the now empty bowl as she lowered it.

Checking her watch quickly, she muttered, "We better get going, Daniel. We have a briefing in ten minutes." Both stood to leave, picking up their lunch trays. Still absorbed in light lunchtime banter, they turned towards the door in curiosity as they heard the sounds of steady, strong steps entering the room.

The noise emanated from a small group of SFs entering the commissary and marching with determination towards them. One of the SFs, the apparent leader of the group, moved to stand at attention in front of the Lieutenant Colonel. Daniel immediately turned to Sam, questioning her with his eyes. She merely shrugged to let him know that she no idea about what was going on.

By this time, the others occupying the room had ceased their conversations and turned towards the scene unfolding before them. Through the uncomfortable silence, every occupant of the room strained to hear what was being said between the newest arrivals and the Lieutenant Colonel.

The SF in front of Sam cleared his throat and announced almost nervously, "I'm sorry ma'am, but we need to take you into custody."

Daniel looked from the airman to Sam, surprised when he saw an almost imperceptible trace of worry and guilt grace his friend's features as she questioned the SF.

"What's going on here, Sergeant Johnson?" Sam asked hesitantly, questioningly.

Sergeant Johnson squared his shoulders as he looked at the Colonel apologetically. He cleared his throat yet again and explained, "I have been ordered to escort you to a holding cell, Colonel Carter."

Daniel's mouth immediately flew open in shock, primed and ready to defend his friend. "Why?" he demanded.

Johnson shook his head, "I don't know, sir. I'm just following orders." The young man then removed a pair of handcuffs from his side and moved to place them on Sam.

"Are those really necessary?" Daniel eyed the handcuffs with suspicion.

Sam looked at Daniel and reassured him with a slight smile, silently asking him to back off. It was sweet of him, wanting to defend her, but she knew that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She faced the SF head-on and entreated him, "You know me, Johnson. I promise to go quietly. There really is no need for the handcuffs."

The young man looked at the Colonel briefly and then nodded slightly as he put the cuffs away. "If you would follow me, ma'am." He motioned for her to go first and instructed the other three SFs to follow behind.

Within seconds, the group of SFs and Sam disappeared from the room leaving an extremely befuddled archeologist still holding his lunch tray filled with empty plates and bowls standing in the middle of the commissary, now bustling with the chatter of gossip.

TBC


	2. An Unusual Device

**Chapter 1: An Unusual Device**

_One Month Before, Sam Carter's Lab, SGC_

A soft light illuminated the worktable in the otherwise darkened lab. As usual, Sam was intently studying an object on the table before her. The object was large and cylindrical, composed of some kind of metal. She leaned over it, carefully removing one of the many panels that made up the object's exterior. Peering inside, she exposed a complex series of wires and conduits, which were connected to a separate compartment within the device. The compartment was clear and filled with a bluish gaseous substance.

Sam was just about to attempt to remove the compartment from inside the device when Daniel sauntered into her lab, interrupting her. "Hey Sam. How's it going?"

Sam moaned quietly in frustration and put down the tiny screwdriver that she had been using. Although annoyed, she looked up at Daniel and managed to plaster a friendly smile on her face. "Hi Daniel. It's going pretty well. I think this artifact is a weapon of some kind. It is very similar in design to our bomb technology."

Daniel's eyes widened slightly as he looked at her in alarm, "Should you be fiddling around with it then? I mean, isn't it dangerous?"

Sam chuckled lightly and smiled at him. "It would be if it had a power source of some kind, but it has been removed if it ever had one. I can't even find any kind of explosive agent. It's really fascinating."

She turned the cylinder around to show him something as she continued her explanation. "You see this compartment here? It houses some kind of gas, I think. It could be like nerve gas or some kind of biological agent. I think the device is designed to release whatever is in this compartment and disperse it over a large geographic area."

"Do you think it was made to fight the Goa'uld?" Daniel asked hopefully as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his BDUs.

She shrugged and looked back at the object. "We can only hope. I'm going to remove the compartment and take it down to Dr. Brightman and her people for analysis. They will find out if it will be effective against the Goa'uld."

"What about the device itself?"

Sam shook her head discouragingly, "It's so similar to the bomb technology we already have that I don't think it will be helpful. I'll keep working on it though. The good news is that if the gas turns out to be useful, we can most likely figure out how to adapt it to our own technology with few problems." She was once again lost in thought for a few moments, transfixed by the technology before her.

Finally noticing the silence in the room, she looked back up at the patiently waiting Daniel. She grinned apologetically. "Sorry. I just get lost in my own thoughts sometimes. By the way, have you learned anything from the books that SG-6 brought back with this?"

Daniel looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry...that's what I came by to tell you. I'm going to need more time. I was going to start on the books this morning. It's just that I've been so busy with the other translation project – you know the temple etchings from MR6-525?"

Sam smiled at the memories conjured up by his words. "Right. What a great mission - beautiful scenery, nice weather, and plenty of temple ruins to amuse you. We should try and have more missions like that."

"If only we had a crystal ball. One of those could sure help us avoid thunderstorms... and mud... and snow... and angry natives and...well you get my point," he joked as he turned to leave.

"Sure, Daniel. Good idea. You let me know if any of the other teams run across one anytime soon. But while we're waiting for our crystal ball to arrive, could you let me know if you find out anything interesting about the people who made this device? I sure would like to know why at least."

"Will do, Sam. I'll see you for lunch?" he called over his shoulder.

"Sure thing."

When he had gone, Sam turned her attention back to the artifact from PX7-496. She gently used her tiny screwdriver to release the small interior compartment from the mass of wires connected to it. Once she had successfully removed it, she put it in an isolation container to take to the science labs later on. Again, she turned her attention back to the larger device and thought to herself, 'why would they need a weapon like this?'

TBC


	3. An Interesting Interlude

**Chapter 2: An Interesting Interlude**

_Two weeks later, Sam Carter's Lab, SGC_

Sam sat in her lab, going over her mission report for PRW-828. It had been a clear-cut mission. She was beginning to worry that SG-1's luck would be running out soon. They had had a series of peaceful, boring missions. They hadn't run into any Goa'uld or enemy Jaffa. They hadn't run afoul of native populations wanting to use them for target practice. They hadn't even run into any bad weather. Everything seemed just a little too peaceful and perfect and Sam suspected that it was only the calm before the storm.

As she typed in her final comments about the mission, her telephone rang. "Carter," she answered.

"Colonel Carter? This is Dr. Brightman. I have the final test results on the gas that you discovered in the weapon from PX7-496. I think we need to brief General O'Neill as soon as possible. These test results don't look so good to me."

The doctor's tone was apprehensive. This alone was enough to worry Sam. Yet, at the same time, she was intrigued. At least it would be an interesting interlude in an otherwise boring week.

"Okay, Dr. Brightman, I'll try to set it up for this afternoon. Dr. Jackson has translated some of the books from the same planet. Maybe he can tell us a little more about the people who made the device at the same time."

_Later that afternoon, SGC Briefing Room_

General O'Neill was the last to arrive at the briefing that afternoon. As usual, he was up to his eyebrows in reports to be read and phone calls from everyone from the Joint Chiefs to the janitorial staff to return.

"Good afternoon kids. So...as much as I enjoy just getting the chance to hang out with you all, what's up?"

Sam, the one who had arranged the meeting, began by giving him a general overview of the situation. "Sir, we have been examining the device found by SG-6 on PX7-496. I discovered that it is some kind of weapon – like a bomb. It is very similar to our own level of technology."

She passed the General several photographs of the weapon and its interior. She continued her introduction, "It was what was inside the device that was so unusual. I believed it to be some sort of chemical or biological agent, so I sent it to Dr. Brightman and her staff for analysis. The test results are back. In addition, Daniel has been translating some of the books found on the same planet. I was hoping that we could combine all of this information today and find out what exactly the device is, why it was created, and what it does."

Daniel immediately jumped in with the information he had learned so far. Barely stopping for breaths in between sentences, he began, rambling, "Jack, from what I can tell, this weapon is the reason PX7-496 was uninhabited. According to their recent history, they were involved in a great war with a neighboring planet that wanted to take over and colonize their world. Their enemy also didn't have a Stargate, and wanted control over the one on 496. Although not as technologically advanced, their enemy had a much larger population hence their need for colonies. Both sides fought each other for years with neither side making much progress – one side having the advantage in technology, one in numbers. The weapon was really a last-ditch effort by the people of PX7-496 to end the war once and for all. They were going to launch it against the other planet, unfortunately for them, when they tested the weapon something went terribly wrong. It destroyed their entire world, Jack."

Jack, who had remained characteristically silent during this speech, stared at Daniel in astonishment. "You know, it never ceases to amaze me at how much information you can impart in such a short amount of time. Did they teach you how to speak that fast in archeology school?"

Daniel just glared at Jack in annoyance. Jack contemplated Daniel's report for a second. Something bothered him about it. "Daniel? If the weapon destroyed everything and everyone on the planet, who wrote all of those history books that you've been reading?"

Daniel crinkled his forehead in confusion. He obviously hadn't thought about that. "Good question. I don't really know. I only know that the books warn against anyone using or testing the weapon. The authors of all the histories warn that the device is cursed – it will only bring about sorrow and destruction."

Jack leaned back in his chair, "Spooky."

Dr. Brightman, unlike some in the room, had been completely engrossed in Daniel's lecture. Once she was sure that he was finished, she spoke up for the first time. "I think I can clarify what happened, General. My people and I have done several tests on the substance Colonel Carter found in the device. At first, we thought it was a toxin, like nerve gas. What we found is that it is actually a virus. From what we can tell, it attacks weakened immune systems. While it would probably not kill a healthy adult, it is aggressive enough to kill a child or an elderly person. It probably made most of the adult population of PX7-496 very sick for a long time, while killing off the children and elderly."

The three others in the room stared at the doctor in disbelief. "Why would anyone want to kill children and old people? That doesn't even sound like a rational military objective," Sam questioned.

"It gets worse, Colonel," Dr. Brightman warned. "It would appear that the virus also attacks the reproductive system of infected females. Basically, it renders them sterile."

Daniel nodded, feeling a strange combination of revulsion and understanding at this information. "So it effectively kills off the younger generations and makes sure no future generations will be born." He paused, touching one of the books he had brought to the meeting and tapping it with his hand. "These people lived full lives knowing that they had killed their own parents and children and had effectively brought about the end of their entire race. All they could do in the end was render the device useless and write their story down as a warning."

Jack turned to the doctor and asked, "Dr. Brightman, would this virus be an useful weapon against the Goa'uld?"

"I don't think so, General O'Neill. It was designed to attack the human immune system from what we can tell. Since the Goa'uld repress and take over the natural immune system of their human hosts, it would be unlikely to work against them. My people will continue to run experiments to see, however."

Sam had remained silent through most of Brightman's revelations. She knew instinctively that it was wrong to be experimenting with the virus. If something had gone so very wrong on PX7-496, it could just as easily happen on Earth. And while everyone at the SGC was an adult, who knew how quickly and easily the virus could spread to the outside world.

Sam spoke firmly, making her opinion immediately apparent, "Sir, I would advise that we come up with a plan to return the device and virus to PX7-496 and destroy them. That is, if Dr. Brightman's tests show that the virus would be ineffective against the Goa'uld. It sounds like this thing is too dangerous for us to be meddling with, more than we already have."

Daniel concurred, "It did wipe out an entire planet, Jack."

Jack stood and nodded at them, "Advice received and understood. Doctor, keep me up to date on your progress. I will talk to the President and Joint Chiefs about this. They want the damned device shipped off to Area 51 by the end of the month. I will try and dissuade them. Carter, you work on a plan to get rid of that thing."

"Yes sir. Thank you, sir." Both Carter and Brightman stood as he left the room.

Jack sauntered back towards his office when he realized that the Colonel and Doctor were still standing at attention around the table. "Oh for crying out loud! You two are such sticklers for protocol. Dismissed!"

TBC


	4. Crystal Ball

**Note: **Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Your thoughtful comments are greatly appreciated!

**Chapter 3: Crystal Ball**

_One week later, SGC Briefing Room_

They were again gathered around the briefing room table anxiously awaiting the arrival of their base commander. Today they would get an update on what the Joint Chiefs had decided about the device from PX7-496. Sam, Daniel, and Dr. Brightman all had provided multiple reasons for the SGC to return the device to the planet. Sam had even drafted a feasible plan for destroying it safely. They believed their reasons for wanting to get rid of the weapon were more than valid, but it was up to the Joint Chiefs what the next step would be.

General O'Neill stormed into the room, disrupting the three people around the table from their thoughts. His expression did not convey optimism. He sat down at the head of the table and began his update.

"Well folks, I've got bad news. I talked to the Joint Chiefs, the head of Area 51, and the President for two hours yesterday. I sent them your reports on the weapon and virus and I backed your recommendations up one hundred percent." He paused for a second before adding, "They still want to keep it."

Daniel immediately exclaimed, "They can't! Jack, this virus is too dangerous. It could wipe out the entire planet if it gets out."

O'Neill ignored Daniel's outburst and continued his explanation of the situation. "The scientists at Area 51 have read over Carter's and Dr. Brightman's reports. They think they can handle the material safely and study it by taking every precaution they can think of."

Carter interjected, "But sir, Daniel has read more about the people of PX7-496. They were not the kind of people to be rash or careless. They took every precaution and look where it got them."

He reassured her, "I know, Carter. Believe me I know. I let them know that if you all think it is too dangerous, then it almost certainly is. After all, you are hardly ever wrong. But they still think there are benefits to be gained from examining it."

Dr. Brightman handed a couple of folders to General O'Neill and copies to Daniel and Sam. "If I may, sir...My staff has done more tests on the virus. We tested it on a larval Goa'uld that was supplied by the rebel Jaffa. The virus had absolutely no effect whatsoever on it. In other words, the virus will not harm the Goa'uld. We also conducted tests on human cells and tissue. We have found that the virus replicates at an unbelievable rate. It is highly contagious and air-borne. If it does get out, it will be able to spread quickly and easily across the face of the planet within a few months, and there is little we would be able to do to contain it."

O'Neill interrupted her protest, shaking his head in dismay, "I understand, Doctor. But Doctor Holder, the head scientist at Area 51, made a pretty convincing argument. He believes that since you and Carter have been able to study it successfully so far without any harm that they can too. He also predicted that your tests on the larval Goa'uld would come out exactly the way they did. He said something to the effect that although it will not hurt a Goa'uld by itself, it might have an effect on the human host of the Goa'uld – at least enough to weaken the Goa'uld's natural defenses a bit. I know, it sounds crazy to me too."

Daniel's tone was indignant as he replied, "Not to mention immoral. What are they thinking? That it's alright to infect innocent humans, who through no fault of their own just happen to be taken as hosts?"

"Is there nothing we can do, Sir?" Carter inquired.

O'Neill shook his head discouragingly, "I don't think so, Carter. Both Hammond and I kept repeating your arguments to both the Joint Chiefs and the President. We fought as hard as we could. Dr. Holder was just more convincing and he made it sound like his people could really come up with something useful from this virus. I'm sorry. We have to release the device and virus for transport to Area 51 by the end of the month. In the meantime, I am not going to give up on this just yet. Both Hammond and I will continue working on the President and the Joint Chiefs to try and get them to change their minds."

"And if you can't?" Daniel asked worriedly.

O'Neill shook his head wearily and rubbed his hands through his hair. "Then it goes to Area 51 and we hope they don't mess up and end up turning Earth into another 496."

_Later that Evening, Sam's House_

Bizarre images flashed through her mind. The places and faces were strangely familiar, but they did not make any sense. People from her past – long gone – mingled with scenes from her present life. Throughout it all, Sam was keenly aware of her own feelings of anxiety and confusion. She moved erratically in her sleep, twisting and turning in the confining sheets of her bed. Suddenly, her chaotic dreams became more focused and lucid.

_She was sitting on one of the beds in the SGC infirmary - a place so very familiar to her. But this time she found it odd that it was the only bed in the room, located in the exact center of the room. She patiently sat, like a spectator waiting for a show to begin, observing the puzzling scenario unfolding all around her. _

_Daniel was in one corner of the gray room loudly discussing the wonders of ancient Roman cuisine with Dr. Brightman. General O'Neill, in full dress uniform heavily adorned with medals, suddenly entered the room, swinging his yo-yo in loops and humming an off-key tune. Another corner of the infirmary was filled with brightly lit candles that lent a golden aura to the room. Sitting in the middle of the candles was Teal'c, wearing an Indonesian ceremonial dragon mask. _

_Unexpectedly, Dr. Janet Frasier came rushing into the room to stand beside Sam's bed. The deceased doctor shook her head wearily as she spoke bluntly to Sam. "I'm sorry, Major. I just got the results of your tests back from the lab and they don't look promising." _

_This conversation did not make any sense to Sam – Janet was dead and Sam was now a Lieutenant Colonel, not a Major. And Janet hardly ever addressed her by her rank. "What is it Janet? Is something wrong with me?"_

"_Yes, Major. Unfortunately, there is something very wrong with you. I'm afraid you can't have children."_

"_What do you mean? What tests are you talking about?" Sam was becoming more and more agitated. _

"_The virus...it damaged your ovaries irreparably. You will never be able to fulfill your life's purpose." Janet frowned and scolded, "But you did it to yourself – don't expect any sympathy from me. You could have destroyed the virus. You had the opportunity. Because of you, life on Earth as we know it is over." Janet continued to scowl at Sam disapprovingly, blame emanating from her._

_General O'Neill then sauntered over to the bed, throwing his yo-yo up and down. He grinned inanely at Sam and joked, "It's okay, Carter. You still have SG-1. You don't really need a life, or kids, for that matter. Do you?"_

_Suddenly, Daniel was standing beside the General. He chimed in merrily, "The people of PX7-496 didn't after all. Why should you or any of the people of Earth for that matter?"_

Sam awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in her bed, her heart racing and her face and body drenched with sweat. A sleepy voice coming from beside her mumbled sleepily, "Sam, honey? You okay?" The figure lying next to her didn't even bother to wake up enough to turn over and face her.

"I'm fine Pete...just a bad dream. Go back to sleep," she reassured him. He didn't even hear her as he was already quietly snoring once again. Within a few minutes, Sam had calmed herself down enough to follow her companion into a deep sleep. Unfortunately, she was once again plagued with peculiar dreams.

_She was walking in the park across from her house, wearing a long gauzy white dress and no shoes. The day was warm but overcast with threatening gray clouds. There was a strong wind bending the trees erratically above her. She was alone. She walked slowly down one of the paths. As she turned a corner, she saw a woman sitting on a park bench, gently rocking a baby carriage. As she drew near, Sam noticed that the woman was quietly crying. Sam stopped beside the woman, anxious to see if she could offer any assistance. The woman's head snapped up and her eyes glared angrily at Sam. _

"_How dare you!" the woman screamed. "You took my baby from me. You killed my baby!"_

_Sam quickly turned, trying to escape from the irate woman. As she did so, the woman latched onto her arm. "Don't you dare walk away! Look at what you've done. May God have mercy on you, Samantha Carter."_

_The woman pulled Sam by the arm until she was forced to gaze into the baby carriage. Sam was confused at what she saw – there was nothing inside. The carriage was empty except for a small teddy bear and a soft yellow blanket. _

_The woman spoke again accusingly, "See what you have done?"_

_As Sam looked back up at the woman, she was horrified to find the stranger's face had transformed into one that was astonishingly familiar. Although contorted with anger and pain, the face she was staring at was her own._

Sam woke this time with a tiny yelp, easily waking Pete from his slumber. "What's going on Sam?" His tone was filled with concern as he sat up in bed. She had had bad dreams before, but never had he heard such a sound emanate from her. He turned on the bedside lamp and examined his fiancé carefully. She was trembling slightly, her face and hair damp from sweat.

Pete took her gently in his arms and spoke softly to her, "It's okay...it's okay baby. It was just a nightmare. You're all right now. I'm here." He repeated this mantra until he was able to lay her back down in the bed and her eyes closed in a flutter.

_She was dressed in her BDUs, carrying her P-90. She was alone. The planet was like a desert – all rocks, sand, cliffs, and rubble. The terrain was so rocky, that she had a difficult time keeping her balance as she picked her way towards an opening in a nearby cliff. She reached the crevice and found Teal'c standing in the shadows wearing a dark cloak. _

"_Teal'c? What going on? Why are you dressed like that? Where's Daniel?" _

_He answered somberly, his face betraying no emotion. "Daniel is dead, Samantha, as is everyone else. You and I are the only ones left."_

"_What happened? What planet are we on?"_

"_We are on Earth and everyone is dead." He paused and stared at her intently._

_Her voice shook as she replied, "What?"_

"_Everyone gradually died of old age, except you. The virus killed the children...the future. Come... See," he ordered softly._

_She followed him into the cave until they reached a small, glowing pool. "Look," he commanded. _

_She gazed into the pool and was shocked with what she beheld. It was her own reflection, but she was no longer the young, vibrant Lieutenant Colonel she had been. She was old and withered. Her green BDUs swamped her frail body. Her face was heavily lined with creases and her silver hair was neatly tucked under her cap._

"_You see," Teal'c sneered, "you are alone." When she looked up, he was gone and she was surrounded only by shadows. She contemplated her reflection for a while longer, Teal'c's last words still reverberating through the cave – 'You are alone...you are alone...you are alone...'_

Sam awoke again, Teal'c's voice still echoing in her head. Pete was stilkl sleeping soundly beside her with his arms wrapped loosely around her. She gently extricated herself from his grasp without waking him and got up. She rubbed her forehead soothingly and then headed down the hall to the kitchen.

She fixed a pot of coffee and prepared to spend the rest of the night on the couch. She was determined not to go back to sleep. The dreams she had been experiencing all night were too disturbing. It was like someone or something was trying to tell her something. Every dream centered around PX7-496 and the horrific device SG-6 had brought back with them.

In her dreams, the virus had led to death, disappointment, and loneliness. Worse than that, in every dream the culprit for bringing disaster to her friends, her planet, and herself was Sam. It was her fault the Earth had been destroyed and she had been left completely alone. It was her fault that she and every other woman on Earth could never have children. It was clearly a sign.

Then and there, Sam knew what she had to do. She could not let them continue to experiment with the virus – she was now sure that it would only lead to sorrow and pain. And she would be responsible if anything happened, as she was now certain it would. She could stop it – prevent her dreams from becoming reality. 'Daniel was right,' she thought to herself. Crystal balls, even when they came in the form of bizarre dreams, could prove invaluable.

TBC


	5. Implications

**Chapter 4: Implications**

_One week later, 0800 hours, SG__C Briefing Room_

Major Robert Foster sauntered into the briefing room, arriving precisely on time for his 0800 debriefing with General O'Neill. The meeting had originally been scheduled for the previous evening, but something had come up suddenly leading the General to postpone it until this morning.

The first thing Foster noticed as he entered the familiar room was the absence of his teammates and the members of SG-1. As SG-1 had accompanied his team on their most recent mission to P65-992, its three members were required to also attend the mandatory post-mission debrief.

This in itself was not cause for concern to Foster. After all, there was always the chance that the others had been held up by something or other and were merely running late. What really heightened his concern was the fact that the room was not empty.

General O'Neill was standing by the door to his office in his dress blues, an outfit Foster knew the General only wore on base when absolutely required to. In addition, there were two unfamiliar men in black suits seated at the briefing table. Foster didn't need to ask who they were, he simply knew. Their demeanor and attire just screamed 'NID' at him. The two men were fully equipped with the essential tape recorders, microphones, legal pads, and file folders. Beside one of the men stood a video camera on a tripod, which was aimed at the chair on the opposite side of the table.

O'Neill noticed Foster's uneasiness immediately and sought to reassure the officer. "Major Foster...on time as usual. Please, take a seat," he motioned to the chair across from the men in black, the one with the camera pointed directly at it. O'Neill sat motionless at the head of the table, all of his usual mannerisms gone, and began the necessary introductions and explanations.

"Major Robert Foster...these men are Agents Dailey and Smith from the NID. They are conducting a preliminary investigation into the disappearance of a piece of alien technology from the SGC labs earlier this week. They are doing this under orders from the President himself, so please answer all of their questions thoroughly and to the best of your ability."

Foster was clearly confused by this information, and the situation he found himself in seemed more and more like a set-up. "With all due respect, General...I don't know anything about missing alien technology. As a team leader, I have very little to do with the artifacts and technology we find after bringing them back to the SGC. You would do better to ask Colonel Carter or one of the scientists in the labs."

O'Neill once again sought to assuage him, "We will Foster. Dailey and Smith here just have a couple of questions about your recent mission with SG-1 to P65-992. It seems the device disappeared from Colonel Carter's lab while you were off world. She reported it missing as soon as you all got back."

Foster was again perplexed, "I don't understand, sir. If the device was taken while I was off world, what information could I possibly offer that could help the NID's investigation?"

One of the agents answered, "Major, we believe you may have information vital to this investigation. Please, just bear with us. I promise it won't take long."

Foster nodded his consent reluctantly as the other agent at the table got up and moved to reposition and turn on the camera.

The agent still seated at the table turned on a tape recorder and began his interrogation. "This is Agent Martin Dailey of the NID. I am conducting an interview today with Major Robert Foster of the SGC. The date is February 2, 2005 and the time is 0817. The interview is being conducted in the briefing room of the SGC. Brigadier General Jack O'Neill, commander of the SGC, is also present. Conducting this interview with me is Agent Jarrod Smith of the NID."

Dailey started with his first question, "Major Foster, could please state your full name, rank, and position at the SGC for the record."

Foster stated succinctly, "Robert Markham Foster, Major in the United States Air Force. Currently, I am the commander of SG-6 here at Stargate Command."

"Thank you, Major. Now we are going to ask you a few questions about your recent mission to P65-992. Could you give a brief overview of the mission – what were the mission objectives, who were the people that were on the mission with you, what happened during the mission, etc.?"

"Okay...It was a basic two-day scientific mission. The planet was not on the Abydos cartouche and so we were very interested to see if the Goa'uld knew about the planet. It was determined that it was uninhabited from an earlier UAV survey. Initial soil and mineral surveys from the MALP showed that the planet could potentially be an untapped source of naquada. We decided to conduct the mission to do a more extensive mineral and horticultural survey. SG-1 was assigned to assist SG-6 in our research and to conduct an exploratory survey of the planet and the possible ruins of an ancient city."

Foster cleared his throat and reached for a nearby glass of water. He slowly took a sip and began his narrative again, "On the mission with me were the members of my team – Our geologist Captain Alice Carpenter, Lieutenant Fred McNiece, and our anthropologist Doctor James Douglas. Also on the mission were the three members of SG-1 – Lieutenant Colonel Sam Carter, Doctor Daniel Jackson, and Teal'c."

As Foster paused, Agent Dailey interrupted - "Good, Major. Now...what exactly happened during your mission from the time you left the SGC to the time you got back?"

Foster stared directly at the camera and continued, "Everyone met on time in the embarkation room, the address was dialed to P65-992, and the Gate activated. Carpenter and McNiece went through first with the FRED, followed by Douglas and Jackson who were deep in conversation with each other, then Teal'c. Finally, Colonel Carter and I went through."

"Did any of the team members seem agitated? Did any behave strangely?" Dailey inquired.

"Not really. I can't really say how SG-1 normally behaves before going through the Gate, since we don't usually go on missions together. But everything, and everyone, seemed to be normal."

"Continue," Dailey instructed.

The stony-faced Major took another sip of water and continued to give his report, "Once we got to the planet, we moved to set up a base camp. Both SG-6 and SG-1 worked to set up camp and get the equipment unpacked. Once that was done, Carpenter and McNiece went off to collect mineral, water, and plant samples in the designated areas. Douglas and I stayed at base camp, scouting the perimeter and watching the Gate for any activity."

Dailey stopped him and inquired with a curious tone to his voice, "And the members of SG-1?"

Foster shrugged slightly, "They went off to investigate the possible ruins of a nearby city. It was one of the reasons SG-1 had tagged along. Dr. Jackson had seen the UAV images of the planet and believed that there may have been a rather large city on the planet. Looked like a lot of rubble to me."

"So once SG-1 took off, did you have any contact with them?"

"Yes. Colonel Carter kept in regular radio contact with us, as did Carpenter and McNiece. They were all gone for about six hours and then they returned to camp just before sunset. We had dinner together and then set up watch shifts for the night."

"Could you tell us who had which shift?"

"Sure..." Foster replied hesitantly, not knowing where this line of questioning was headed. "Colonel Carter took first watch, Teal'c took second, I took third, Douglas took fourth, and Dr. Jackson took fifth. Captain Carpenter and Lieutenant McNiece did not have shifts."

"When did the first shift start and how long did it last?"

"It started about 2300 hours, SGC time, and lasted an hour and a half. Teal'c relieved Colonel Carter at 0030 and I relieved him at 0130. Douglas's shift was from 0300 to 0400. And Dr. Jackson's shift lasted from 0400 to 0530. By the time his shift ended, everyone was up except for Douglas."

"Including Colonel Carter?" Dailey asked pointedly.

For the first time during the interview, Foster got a hint at the real object of the interview. The NID had obviously singled Colonel Carter out. Foster suddenly realized that she was possibly the main target of the investigation. After all, the device they were investigating disappeared from her lab. But he refused to believe Carter could do anything illegal or that might jeopardize the SGC or Earth. Foster kept his tone steady and resolute as he responded, "Yes. The Colonel must have gotten up sometime during Dr. Jackson's shift because she was up before I was."

"And who assigned these shifts?"

"We all pretty much volunteered. The Colonel and I knew that Carpenter and McNiece had to get an early start the next day and had more work than the rest of us, so we decided to let them have a full night's sleep. Otherwise, we just all picked the shifts we wanted."

"Did you see Colonel Carter anytime during the night?"

"No, I didn't. She was sharing a tent with Carpenter and Dr. Jackson. The rest of us were in the other tents. Since our shifts didn't cross, I didn't see or hear any sign of her until I got up about 0530."

"Did you notice anything unusual about the Colonel's demeanor during the mission? Was she nervous or distracted in any way?"

Foster was getting tired and agitated at this line of questioning. He jumped to his superior officer's defense, "No! Look, I don't know what this is all about, but Colonel Carter is always professional. She works harder and does her job better than any other officer at the SGC."

Dailey smiled thinly and replied almost sarcastically, "I'm sure she does. I assure you Major Foster, no one is accusing the Colonel of acting unprofessionally. We just need to know more about her actions during your recent mission."

Foster turned to General O'Neill. He silently questioned the General on whether or not to proceed. O'Neill merely nodded at the Major, almost imperceptibly. With this reassurance, Foster spoke once more, "Well...the next day she and SG-1 went out to the ruins again and the Colonel kept in regular radio contact the whole time. Both SG-6 and SG-1 completed their surveys by nightfall and we decided to head back to the SGC on schedule. Nothing out of the ordinary happened and Colonel Carter behaved as any other officer would."

Dailey let out a small, but frustrated sigh, "I guess that concludes our questioning, Major. Thank you for your time."

Without waiting for Major Foster to leave the room, Agent Dailey turned to General O'Neill and demanded, "I believe it is time that we talk to SG-1, General. Could you please ask Dr. Jackson to be in the briefing room in thirty minutes?"

O'Neill nodded grimly as he rose to go to his office to call Daniel. Foster exited the room, wondering all the while why the General seemed so willing to go along with this investigation. He had expected O'Neill to staunchly defend his old team, especially when the main target was obviously Colonel Carter.

And yet he had said nothing the whole time. He didn't once jump to the defense of his former 2IC. It almost seemed as if the General believed that she was guilty. Foster could only hope as he walked down the hall that further investigation would reveal Carter's innocence.

_0915 hours, General O'Neill's Office, SGC_

Daniel burst through the door to his friend's office. "Jack, what the hell is going on? I have been trying the see you for over an hour. Walter told me you were in a meeting and that our debriefing had been cancelled until further notice."

Jack leaned back in his chair and sighed, "The debriefing for SG-1 and SG-6 had to be postponed because I had to attend a very sudden and important meeting. By the way, you must not have gotten the message...you're needed in the briefing room in about 15 minutes."

Daniel looked exasperated. "Not now, Jack. Sam's in trouble. We were in the commissary eating breakfast when a group of SFs came in and took her to a holding cell. Do you know what's going on?"

"Yes, Daniel, I do. I ordered Sergeant Johnson to confine Carter to a holding cell."

Daniel stared at Jack in utter disbelief. "What? Why would you do such a thing, Jack? What the hell is going on?"

"Daniel...the device from 496 disappeared two days ago when you were on the mission with SG-6. The surveillance tapes show the device simply vanishing from Carter's lab in a flash of white light. Her lab was locked and no one entered or left the lab in all the time you were gone. Carter reported it missing as soon as she got back."

"My god, Jack...that doesn't mean she had anything to do with it. How could she? She was on another planet at the time."

"I know. Makes the perfect alibi, though, doesn't it?" O'Neill sighed wearily.

Daniel looked at him, shocked. "You actually think she had anything to do with this?"

"I don't know, Daniel. Hell, I don't even know that you didn't have anything to do with it. After all, you were pretty eager to get rid of that thing too. All I know is that the burst of light looked surprisingly like an Asgard transporter beam. We know from when the Gate was taken that you need a locater device in order to beam something specific up. Who put a locater device on the weapon, Daniel? Who had the necessary access to do that?"

Daniel's eyes widened in amazement, "I can't believe this. You've already convicted her. So, what's the meeting in fifteen minutes about then? To see if I conspired with her to steal the weapon?"

Jack slammed his hands against his desk. "For crying out loud, Daniel! No, that's not what it is about. Look, it's out of my hands now. The President and the Joint Chiefs were not happy about this and demanded an immediate investigation. The President asked the NID to lead the investigation. They have been here since early this morning going over tapes and conducting interviews. They thought it best if I confined Carter before she suspected anything was up. I had no choice. I have to follow their directions explicitly."

Daniel scowled and glared at Jack accusingly, "So you are just going to let them crucify Sam? She's your friend, Jack. How many times has she defended you? Believed in you? Saved your life?"

"I know that Daniel," Jack snapped. "The President has ordered me himself to cooperate and I intend to do just that. However, I have no intention of letting Carter go down for this." He added in a hushed tone, "Even if she did have something to do with it."

O'Neill got up from behind his desk and walked over to Daniel. Putting his hand on Daniel's shoulder, he reassured his friend, "If Carter did have anything to do with this, I will do everything in my power to see that nothing happens to her. Believe me, Daniel."

Jack began guiding Daniel to the briefing room, "It's time for your interview. Just answer all of their questions, okay? Don't leave anything out – don't hold anything back. You won't be doing Carter any favors if you do."

_0930 hours, SGC Briefing Room_

Agent Dailey greeted Daniel Jackson and General O'Neill as they entered the room. "General O'Neill, thank you for getting Dr. Jackson here promptly. Dr. Jackson, please have a seat."

Daniel sat across from the two NID agents and glared at the video camera pointing directly at him.

"Please state your full name and position at the SGC for the record."

"Doctor Daniel Nicholas Jackson. I am a civilian archaeologist and linguist serving on SG-1."

"Alright, Dr. Jackson...let's start. How did you feel about the device recovered from PX7-496?"

"I believed it to be a very dangerous and destructive weapon. It destroyed the people of PX7-496, which left their planet completely uninhabited."

"How do you feel about its disappearance?"

Daniel shrugged. "I'm not sure, really. I guess it matters who took it. If it fell into the hands of someone who understands the dangers present in such a device, it might be a good thing that it's gone. On the other hand, if the person or people who took it wanted to find a way to use it, it could be a very bad thing."

"You wanted to take it back to the planet and destroy it, didn't you?"

Daniel did not bother denying it. "Yes, I did."

Agent Dailey stared unwaveringly at Daniel and pointedly asked, "Did you have anything to do with its disappearance, Dr. Jackson?"

"No. I did not," Daniel stated firmly.

"What about Colonel Carter?"

"What about her?" Daniel's brow furrowed in concern for his friend.

"Did she have anything to do with its disappearance?"

Daniel met the question with a moment of silence followed by a smug smirk, "Why don't you ask her?"

Dailey was not sidetracked by Daniel's evasion of the question. "How did Colonel Carter feel about the device?"

"About the same as I did. She felt it was very dangerous and that we should get rid of it. She was worried that if we continued to experiment on it that we ran the risk of what happened on PX7-496 happening on Earth."

Dailey decided to pursue another line of questioning. "Did anything unusual happen on your recent mission to P65-992?"

"Not that I can think of," Daniel replied in confusion.

"Did you see Colonel Carter anytime while you were on guard duty that night?"

Daniel suddenly looked very uncomfortable, as he realized why the NID agent was asking this particular question. He shifted slightly in his chair before replying, "Yes. I saw her about 0430."

"When she woke up?" Dailey asked, smiling knowingly – fully aware of the fact that he had cornered the archaeologist.

Through gritted teeth, Daniel responded, "No. Not exactly."

"Please explain, Dr. Jackson."

"Why is it important?"

O'Neill, who was getting frustrated with Daniel's attempts to avoid answering the Dailey's questions, stepped in and warned, "Daniel...just tell them what they want to know!"

Daniel turned to Jack with a look of incredulity and annoyance. Jack merely met Daniel's stare with one of his own – one that told the archaeologist that the time for playing games was over. Daniel sighed in exasperation and then finally, but still reluctantly, answered the question. "She didn't come from her tent. I was sitting by the fire, drinking coffee, when she walked up to me and sat down. She had been out walking."

Quickly, Dailey jumped on this disclosure. "Where? Where had she been walking?"

"She came from the direction of the Gate."

"This is very important, Dr. Jackson. Did you hear the Gate activate in the moments prior to Colonel Carter arriving in camp?"

"Yes."

"And why did you not notify Major Foster or one of the other officers of this?"

Daniel hesitated for a moment before replying, "Because I knew it was Sam."

Dailey smirked in triumph. "Oh really? How?"

"She told Teal'c and me earlier in the day that she had to go through the Gate that night on a mission. She said that she would leave after her guard duty shift and that she would return before my shift was over."

"What kind of mission?"

Daniel turned to look at Jack in confusion, seeking some form of backup from the General. "I don't know. Sam said that she couldn't tell us. She also said that we couldn't tell anyone on SG-6 about it. I just figured that Jack had asked her to go on some sort of secret errand or that she had something she needed to report back to him."

As Daniel revealed this information, he retained eye contact with Jack and watched as the General's face slowly became shadowed with disappointment.

"Do you know where she went when she went through the Stargate?"

"No. I was asleep at that time. I didn't see her leave."

"And Colonel Carter didn't tell you anything about where she had been or what she had been doing?"

"No, I asked and she told me again that she couldn't say. She said it was for my own good. After that, I took her at her word and didn't ask again."

"Thank you, Dr. Jackson. That concludes our interview."

Out in the hallway, Daniel pulled Jack to one side and whispered, "What's going on Jack? Didn't you tell Sam to go on some secret mission or errand?" His brow was furrowed in concern and confusion.

Jack appeared preoccupied and troubled. "No, Daniel. If Carter left P65-992 during your mission, it was her own doing. I had no knowledge of it."

_1030 hours, SGC Briefing Room_

"Hey T," General O'Neill greeted as Teal'c entered the briefing room.

Teal'c nodded his head and replied, "O'Neill." Although trying to betray no emotion, the Jaffa was visibly not happy to be there.

"T...these guys just want to ask you a few questions."

Without uttering a word or even acknowledging the presence of the two NID agents, Teal'c immediately took a seat across the table from them. He glared at the two men and nodded at them, informing them of his readiness to proceed.

"I'm Agent Dailey and this is Agent Smith of the NID. We're conducting a preliminary investigation into the disappearance of the weapon recovered from PX7-496. It vanished from Lieutenant Colonel Carter's lab while SG-1 and SG-6 were on their most recent mission together."

"I am aware," Teal'c replied.

"Teal'c...could you describe how Colonel Carter felt about the weapon?"

"I cannot. If you wish to know the answer to that question, I suggest you ask Colonel Carter."

Dailey appeared a bit irritated by Teal'c's refusal to provide an answer, but let it go. "Okay...what happened on your recent mission to P65-992?"

"SG-1 and SG-6 traveled to P65-992 through the Stargate. SG-1 conducted a survey of the ruins of an ancient city. SG-6 conducted scientific research on the soil, water, vegetation, and minerals of the planet. We returned to Earth after two days."

"Did anything unusual happen?"

"No."

"Did anyone act nervous or worried about something?"

"No," Teal'c answered yet again.

"What about the night you spent there? You relieved Colonel Carter after her watch?"

"Indeed."

"Did she retire for the night after you relieved her?"

Getting no response, Dailey continued to prod, "Please answer the question."

When Teal'c continued to remain silent, O'Neill stepped in, "Teal'c...you need to answer the question. Please."

"She did not."

"Where did she go?" Dailey resumed his questioning.

"She proceeded to the Stargate."

"Did she tell you where she was going?"

"She did not."

Agent Dailey appeared frustrated and disappointed. He needed more information to make a case against Carter. It looked as though he wasn't going to get what he needed, at least not from Teal'c. All of the sudden, his partner, Agent Smith, had an idea and interrupted the interview.

"Teal'c, do **you** know where she went?" Smith inquired.

Teal'c stared into the camera and made no sound. Again, O'Neill was forced to chastise his friend, "T..."

"I do indeed."

"Where did she go?" Dailey's enthusiasm was once again high.

"I do not feel comfortable answering this question," Teal'c protested, trying to protect his friend and comrade.

Dailey warned him, "You will be arrested and charged with impeding a federal investigation if you do not."

General O'Neill stepped in to soothe over the NID agent's ruffled feathers. It would be no good to him if Teal'c landed in hot water along with Carter. "T...you aren't helping her by withholding information. You're only going to get yourself into trouble and you know she wouldn't want that. Just tell them the truth."

Teal'c looked at O'Neill and thought for a moment. He then nodded at him, acquiescing to his friend's request. "Colonel Carter dialed the coordinates for K'Tau."

As soon as Teal'c voiced his answer, looks of triumph appeared simultaneously on the faces of the two NID agents. As they continued to smile at each other in congratulations, neither agent noticed the General bow his head, attempting to hide the growing distress he was feeling.

_1200 hours, SGC Briefing Room_

"Good afternoon, Colonel Carter. Let's go ahead and get started, shall we?" Agent Smith turned on the camcorder and pressed the record button on the tape recorder on the table.

Agent Dailey immediately began his questioning with, "Where is the weapon from PX7-496?"

Shocked at his abruptness, Sam answered his question humbly and truthfully, "I don't know. It was locked in my lab. When I returned from my mission to P65-992, it was gone. I reported this immediately to General O'Neill."

"Of course you're right, Colonel. We have the security tapes from your lab and the hallway outside it. No one entered or exited it after you left on your mission. The tapes from inside your lab show the device being enveloped in a bright flash of light and disappearing. What do you think happened to it?"

Carter's gaze remained cool, her tone dispassionate, "I really have no idea. Maybe it had a transportation device built into it. Maybe some aliens beamed it up. Maybe it was your former colleagues with the Trust? How should I know? I was on P65-992 at the time."

Dailey scoffed. "Were you really, Colonel Carter? This is just a preliminary investigation, but I will remind you that you are expected to tell the whole truth."

Carter reacted immediately and appropriately, as one would who had just been insulted. "What are you implying?"

"We know you did not stay the whole time on P65-992 during your mission. We have already talked to Teal'c and Dr. Jackson. Would you mind telling me what planet you went to on the night you were on P65-992?"

Sam answered him with silence.

"I will ask again, Colonel, where is the device from PX7-496? What planet did you travel to once you reached P65-992?"

Sam's voice rose as her anger and determination grew, "I will repeat this very slowly so you can understand. I did not take the device. I do not know where it is!"

"What about my other question, Colonel?"

Sam smiled cunningly and shrugged, "I prefer not to answer. It was a personal matter that I needed to take care of. It's really none of your business."

Dailey continue to press on. "Without the knowledge or consent of your Commanding Officer? Why did you need to go to K'Tau, Colonel? Did you need to contact the Asgard to help you with your plan to steal military technology from the U.S. Air Force?"

At the mention of K'Tau, Sam could not conceal a brief look of surprise passing over her face. It was quickly removed and masked with an expression of indifference and resentment.

Dailey, however, did not miss the Colonel's reaction, no matter how brief it had been. He explained, "Teal'c followed you, Colonel. He saw you dial the sequence for K'Tau. We know you went to contact the Asgard. It would be better for you if you would just admit your role in this incident."

Silence.

Dailey's voice grew colder, "You will have to answer these questions sometime. The government will go easier on you if you confess now."

Sam aimed her cold, blue eyes directly at Dailey. She stared solely at the agent before her, as if he were the only person in the room with her. She refused to seek out the comfort of the man whom she knew was witnessing this scene in discomfort and anguish – her friend, her CO. She was in this alone, and that was the way she wanted it to be – the way it had to be.

She did not answer Dailey's question, but simply demanded, "When do I get to see a lawyer?" All the while she never once blinked, her eyes burning into those of her interrogator.

TBC


	6. A New Life

**Chapter 5: A New Life**

_The Next Morning, Peterson Air Force Base Brig_

"Who are you?" Sam demanded as the young man in uniform entered the visitation room.

When the guard came to get her earlier, telling her that she had a visitor, she had expected it to be Daniel or General O'Neill - not a twenty-something year old Captain she had never laid eyes on before. She looked over the man and quickly sized him up. He was about the same height as she was, maybe a little shorter, with soft gray eyes and light brown hair. In Sam's estimation, he was no older than twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

The young man smiled nervously at Sam and introduced himself, "I'm Captain Edward Phillips. I'm with JAG. I was assigned your case yesterday afternoon after you were charged."

Sam laughed cynically. She knew what this was about. The government and military had decided to give her the semblance of a fair trial, but were unwilling to let her have any chance of getting off. So they had assigned a young, inexperience lawyer, probably just out of law school who probably had never seen the inside of a courtroom.

She stared at the shy young Captain with disdain, "Do you even know what my case is about?"

"Yes, Colonel. You have been charged with treason for stealing military technology, espionage, and disobeying direct orders. Pretty serious if you ask me."

"Yes it is, Captain. Do you mind my asking...how old are you?"

"I'm thirty, ma'am. I look younger than I really am. Good genes and all."

"Lucky you," she replied sarcastically.

Phillips smiled at her brusque attitude and quietly explained, "Ma'am, with all due respect, I am an experienced and well-qualified lawyer. I can assure you of that. I am a graduate of Harvard Law School and have been with JAG for five years."

The mention of Harvard peaked Sam's interest. "Have you ever handled a case like this?"

The young lawyer's brow furrowed worriedly. "Well...no. Not really. But in my defense...how many cases are there out there like this?"

At his attempt at humor, Sam smirked slightly. Perhaps the young Captain was alright after all. "Point taken. Do you know what I'm accused of stealing? Have you even been given clearance to know what I do?"

"About your work with the SGC? Yes. It's quite fascinating. And I know all about the device you supposedly stole – pretty nasty in my opinion."

Sam's suspicions immediately rose. "You know about the SGC?" He nodded in reply. "Are you NID?" she asked.

"No ma'am. I'm Air Force, just like you," Phillips reassured her. "I have no association with the NID. Actually, the President asked my CO to take care of this and to assign you the best possible representation. Seems General O'Neill and the Commander-in-Chief are close and it was a personal favor." He paused and looked at her sympathetically, "You can trust me, Colonel."

Sam scoffed at his words. "That's very funny, Captain. I don't trust anyone right now. Why should I trust you?"

Phillips's attitude suddenly became serious. "Because I'm your lawyer and your life is in my hands right now. The prosecution is going to seek the death penalty if you get convicted, Colonel. I don't know how such an esteemed astrophysicist and officer makes that kind of enemies, but you've got them and they are out to get you."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to tell me everything, ma'am. And please be completely honest with me. After all, everything you tell me is privileged information."

Sam sighed in resignation. "Okay Captain. Where do you want me to start?"

"Did you do it?" Phillips asked pointedly.

Sam's eyes met his, a hint of desperation barely visible in their blue depths. "What would you have done, Captain?"

Phillips merely nodded at her response and gently urged, "Why don't you tell me the whole story from the beginning."

_Later that day, General O'Neill's Office, SGC_

Daniel, Jack, and Teal'c sat in Jack's office discussing the arrest of their teammate and friend, Sam Carter.

"We have to do something, Jack! We can't let them lock her up for this," Daniel exclaimed.

Jack and Daniel were so deep in argument, that neither noticed a soft knock on the door. They only ceased their debate when the door opened and Walter Harriman stuck his head in. "General..."

"Not now, Walter," Jack shouted.

"Sir...Colonel Carter's lawyer is here to see you. He says it's important."

Jack waved his arms in exasperation, "Well, why didn't you say so? Go ahead and send him in then."

Captain Edward Phillips quietly walked into the room and stood at attention before Jack. "At ease, Captain. Please take a seat. Daniel Jackson, Teal'c...this is Captain Ed Phillips with JAG. He's Carter's lawyer," Jack introduced the man.

Daniel and Teal'c nodded at the Captain in greeting. Phillips took a seat in the chair next to Daniel. Jack immediately inquired, "So, Captain...any news? How's the Colonel doing?"

Phillips quickly answered his superior officer, "Well...she was very defensive and angry when I first saw her. She sure comes off as being tough as nails, although underneath it all she's scared out of her mind. But after talking with her, I think she is doing a little better."

"That's good to hear. When can we go and see her?" Jack asked hopefully.

"They are going to allow visitation starting tomorrow. They just wanted to get her settled in and everything first. But...I'm not sure she actually wants to see you."

"What?" Jack was stunned by this news.

Daniel spoke up, "What about Teal'c and me? Does she want to see us?"

Phillips shook his head in the negative. "She didn't say anything specifically about visitors. It's just...Colonel Carter specifically asked me to tell you all not to get involved. She doesn't want anyone in this room to be deemed an accomplice. That's why I'm here. I don't think she wants you all to come and visit or to try and dig up evidence to clear her name."

Daniel looked at the lawyer in confusion, "Why not? We look out for each other. We always have. When Teal'c was suspected of murder, Sam and I found the evidence to clear him."

Teal'c nodded in agreement, "Indeed. And when O'Neill was accused of Senator Kinsey's assassination, Colonel Carter worked tirelessly to find evidence to free him. We can do no less for her."

O'Neill chimed in, "I agree. You'll just have to tell Colonel Carter 'sorry, no deal,' Captain. Carter can't get rid of us that easily. We'll be dropping by tomorrow morning."

Phillips let out a small sigh of relief and a wide smile broke out on his face. "I'm glad to hear you say that, sir...because to be completely honest, I'm at a loss here. Not to be arrogant, but I'm very good at my job. This, however, is a bit beyond my expertise. I am a smart enough lawyer to know that I'm in over my head. I just learned about this program yesterday morning and I was only allowed to know about details relevant to Colonel Carter's case. I have no idea what exactly goes on here, let alone who the Asgard are."

He continued, "What I do know is this...what Colonel Carter did was right and through her actions, she probably saved this planet. Something I suspect she has done before – possibly many times. I also know that it is important, not only for Colonel Carter, but for the safety of this planet, possibly this galaxy, that she not be executed."

Daniel immediately looked up at Phillips in distress. "Executed? What do you mean?"

Phillips winced slightly at having revealed this new information to the Colonel's friends so carelessly. "I talked with the prosecution this morning. They wanted to make a deal. If the Colonel pleads guilty, she will get life in prison. If not, they warned that they are going to seek the death penalty if she is convicted. I'm so very sorry to have to tell you this."

The young Captain paused to sigh in frustration. In observing the three men, he knew instantly and without a doubt that they would do everything and anything in their power to help his client. Their concern for their friend was painfully evident on their faces. He pleaded with them, "I am not beneath asking for help here. You know the Colonel, you know about the device she supposedly helped steal...Do any of you have any ideas of something I could use to defend her? Her life itself is at stake here."

Jack roughly ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. He was at his wit's end. "I called the President even before she was charged. I knew those guys from the NID had it in for her. I thought that maybe he could get them to back off. But the evidence was all there and it all pointed to her. After she was arrested, I called him again and asked if he would be willing to grant Carter a pardon if she is convicted."

Daniel looked at Jack hopefully, "What did he say?"

Jack grunted, "He said no. I'm not really surprised. When something like this happens, the military and the government have to set an example. Unfortunately, the example this time just happens to be Carter. There is no way they are going to let her get away with this. No matter what she has done in the past and no matter what her reasons for doing it."

"You still believe Colonel Carter to have committed the crime, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"I know she did, T. I know, because it's what I would have done if I had been in her shoes. I just wish she had come to one of us for help before she went off and did something stupid like this."

Suddenly, a flash of bright light engulfed the room. When the light dissipated, the occupants of the room were shocked to find the Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet had arrived. Sitting in his usual throne-like chair, which had appeared on the other side of Captain Phillips, Thor faced O'Neill from across the General's desk and greeted him. "Greetings O'Neill." He then turned toward the other men seated in the room, "Doctor Jackson, Teal'c...it is good to see you both again."

Phillips looked as though he was going to into a state of catatonic shock. The General smiled slightly at the young man's reaction. "Captain Phillips... may I introduce Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard. Thor... this is Colonel Carter's attorney, Captain Ed Phillips."

"It is a pleasure to meet any friend of Colonel Carter," Thor replied. Phillips was still unable to talk, so he just mumbled a bit and nodded his head in greeting.

"O'Neill, I have come to impart some information to you regarding a device you are missing."

"We know all about it, Thor. Just tell me one thing...why in the world did you help Carter without asking me about it first?" he chastised his alien friend.

"I am sorry O'Neill," Thor apologized. "Colonel Carter said that there was little time and that you were bound by law to follow the orders you had been given."

"Did you not realize that Carter was disobeying orders by contacting you and getting you to steal the device?"

"Yes," Thor admitted without a trace of guilt. "But Colonel Carter was adamant that the device was dangerous and that the people of your world would mishandle it. I have come to tell you that she was correct."

"What do you mean, Thor?" Daniel asked.

Thor explained, "The device is flawed. Any attempt to activate the device would have resulted in it malfunctioning and releasing the virus contained within. What is more, the device also releases nanites designed to penetrate most barriers to allow the virus to spread. One of our scientists, Olla, conducted tests on the device and found that the nanites were most effective. The virus escaped from even our isolation chamber."

"You mean he was exposed to the virus?" Daniel inquired.

"Yes. Fortunately for Olla and the rest aboard the science vessel, the Asgard seem to be immune to the virus. Doctor Brightman's findings about the virus and the Goa'uld were also correct. Olla's tests show that while the virus would have infected the human host, the virus would not affect the host beyond possibly causing sterility. If your scientists had conducted the same tests as Olla on your planet..."

Daniel interrupted him, "The virus would have gotten out and spread quickly."

"That is what Olla believes as well, Doctor Jackson."

O'Neill looked at Thor skeptically. "Wait a minute...Carter and Dr. Brightman tested that device and virus extensively. Why didn't the virus get out then?"

Thor explained, "Olla hypothesized that the nanites are released only when the device is activated. Since Colonel Carter experimented on the device when it did not have a power source attached, the nanites would not have been released. Doctor Brightman only studied the virus, and most likely had the test sample isolated. Without the nanites, the virus was contained at all times in an isolation compartment."

O'Neill nodded. "Okay. So Carter was right. Big surprise there. It still doesn't help her."

"Where is Colonel Carter?" Thor inquired.

Teal'c answered, "Colonel Carter has been arrested and charged in the theft of the device."

A look of hope suddenly appeared on Jack's face. He smiled broadly at his alien friend. "Listen, Thor... we could really use your help here. Could you perhaps beam back up to your ship and then go get Carter? I mean...you could just beam her right out of the brig and it would solve a lot of problems."

Thor looked at his friend sympathetically. "I am most distressed to hear of Colonel Carter's predicament. However, I cannot interfere in your planet's system of justice. I am sorry, O'Neill. It could lead to strained relations with your planet and the High Council would never agree to such an action for one person. Colonel Carter knew the risks when she undertook this mission."

Jack look of hope was replaced quickly with one of outrage. "That one person saved your planet, for crying out loud! Don't you think you owe her something?"

"I am sorry, O'Neill," Thor repeated. "The Asgard have a policy of non-interference. My people believe that the planets under our protection be allowed to follow their own customs and beliefs. We cannot interfere unless your planet is thought by the High Council to be in violation of our treaty. I would be happy to talk with your President personally, however, and tell him of my personal opposition to Colonel Carter's imprisonment. Perhaps if I explain how our findings concur with Colonel Carter's he would be more willing to forgive her transgressions."

Phillips, finding his voice for the first time since Thor had appeared in the room, addressed the Asgard, "Actually, that is probably not a good idea, Supreme Commander." He continued with his reasoning, "If you tell the President about your findings, it's as good as admitting to him that Colonel Carter is guilty. He cannot even know that the Asgard have the device."

Jack barked out in irritation, "What do we do then? We all know Carter did it. The evidence is solid and they will no doubt convict her. And when they do, they are going to execute her."

Phillips offered his only suggestion, "I could try and bargain with them some more. Perhaps I can get them to reduce the sentence a bit. But we are still looking at major time at Leavenworth. Either that, or I can argue the truth in court – that she did it but it ended up saving the planet – and hope that the jury is sympathetic. Her sterling record should help quite a bit."

No one in the room had noticed that Daniel had been silent for several minutes. He was no longer paying full attention to the conversation the others were conducting, but was lost in his own thoughts.

When Jack finally looked at him, he called out in annoyance, "Daniel! Wake up, Doctor Jackson! Care to throw out any ideas or suggestions here?"

Daniel shook his head to clear it. "Sorry, Jack. It was just something Thor said earlier about the Asgard and the Goa'uld being immune to the virus."

"So..." Jack quipped in aggravation.

"So...that word – immune...immunity. It started me thinking...have you ever heard of something called diplomatic immunity?"

"Yes...of course I have," Jack answered the archaeologist. "But what does that have to do with Carter and her case?"

"Well, yesterday I did an internet search on criminal cases similar to Sam's – ones involving espionage and theft of government property. I didn't make the connection at first, but in many of these cases the defendants were employees at an embassy. Their lawyers were able to get them off by arguing diplomatic immunity."

Jack stared at the archaeologist like he was crazy. "But Carter is not an ambassador, Daniel. She doesn't even work for another country. She works for this one, if you haven't noticed."

Daniel smiled proudly and pointed out, "But you are, Jack. You are the official ambassador of the Asgard on Earth."

Jack shook his head in denial, "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"Not."

"Are too."

The two men probably could have continued arguing in this way for hours if Jack had not ended it with the statement, "I'm definitely not getting all of my memos. How can I be the ambassador of the Asgard and not even know it?"

Daniel offered an explanation, "I'm just telling you what Thor told me after the whole cloning incident. I asked why you were so important to the Asgard and he mentioned that besides being genetically advanced, you were also the official Asgard ambassador to Earth."

Jack turned to Thor, hoping he could shed some light on this new revelation. "Don't you have to be a citizen of the country you are an ambassador for? I mean I'm not even from the Asgard home world, if you haven't noticed."

Thor clarified, "Not so, O'Neill. The Asgard Confederation has quite different laws than your country. On each planet that has knowledge of our true identities, we have an official representative. On Cimmeria, that person is Garwin. On Earth, it is you O'Neill."

Captain Phillips was obviously excited at the way the conversation was heading. Like Daniel, he could clearly see the possibility of saving his client. "Is it formal, Supreme Commander? I mean, it would have to be recorded in your legal documents or notes of proceedings – something official."

Thor addressed Phillips's concerns. "It is indeed, and has been so for years. It became official when we chose O'Neill as the spokesperson for Earth at the treaty negotiations with the Goa'uld System Lords to make Earth a protected planet. Every protected planet that has knowledge of the true nature of the Asgard has an official ambassador who is the main person we contact."

Jack laughed sarcastically, "Nice if you had let me in on this before, Thor, old buddy."

"We assumed that you understood, O'Neill," Thor stated.

Jack turned to Daniel. He was still a little bit in shock from finding out that he was an ambassador. He was also still confused as to how this revelation helped Carter. Both Daniel and Phillips seemed to think it was important, but how? "I still don't get it, Daniel. How the hell does any of this help Carter? I mean...she is not the Asgard ambassador. She doesn't have diplomatic immunity."

Daniel's smile grew. He faced Phillips and shot a look that said, 'why don't you explain it to him.' Phillips smiled in response and answered the General, "But sir, you do. And according to U.S. and International law, your wife does as well."

O'Neill instinctively shot back, "I'm not married, Phillips."

Teal'c also seemed to catch on to what Daniel and Phillips's idea was. He clarified their plan for his friend, "I believe what Daniel Jackson and Captain Phillips are suggesting is that Colonel Carter should become your wife, O'Neill."

"Exactly," Daniel added smugly.

Jack had been in slight shock before, but this sent him over the top. "What! Have you all gone completely nuts all of a sudden?" he shouted.

Phillips reassured his superior officer, "It's a way out of this mess, General. If you marry Colonel Carter, she will be your wife and we can at least argue that she has diplomatic immunity."

Teal'c agreed, "Indeed, if Colonel Carter were your spouse, O'Neill, then the Asgard would be able to take a more active role in saving her."

Jack's mouth opened wide in bewilderment, "How?"

Thor replied, "If your government continues to pursue its case against Colonel Carter, it would be violating its own immunity laws. In doing so, your government would be perceived by the Asgard High Council as less worthy of our friendship. In fact, the Council might be forced to cut off diplomatic relations altogether."

Daniel had still not stopped smiling and his smile only grew as the understanding of Thor's meaning sunk in. "Or...You could at least threaten to? Like you did at the conference when the Stargate program was revealed to the other world leaders?"

Thor nodded. "Precisely, Daniel Jackson. It would be seen as a grave insult to have the spouse of the Asgard ambassador executed."

Jack was not a happy camper. Everyone in the room, it seemed, was ready and anxious to jump on the bandwagon of 'diplomatic immunity.' It was fine and dandy for them – they weren't the ones having to get married in this scenario. He knew that he had to be the voice of reason, before the rest of those in the room got carried away.

"Okay, kids. I see a few problems here. One, there is a little thing called regulations. This plan might save Carter from lethal injection, but in the long run both me and Carter will be court-martialed and kicked out of the SGC and the Air Force. Two, Carter will never go for this. She is engaged to Pete Shanahan and I don't think he will be all that understanding if she goes off and marries another guy. By the way...What happens to Carter if we do this and it works? I doubt the U.S. government will just welcome her back with open arms."

His questions had clearly put a damper on their enthusiasm. Phillips answered somberly, "You're right, sir. In most of the cases, the diplomat or relative in question was deported and forbidden from ever returning to the U.S. The U.S. also usually pushes for the home country to prosecute the alleged criminal."

Jack summed up these findings, "So, let me get this right...Carter will no longer have the Air Force, the SGC, and she will be kicked off of the planet, never to see her fiancé or family again."

Daniel couldn't believe that Jack was trying to shoot holes in the only viable plan that they had come up with so far, "Jack! At least she would be alive!"

Thor, sensing O'Neill's reluctance and the desire of the others to at least try the plan, offered some consolation. "O'Neill, the Asgard would be honored to provide sanctuary to Colonel Carter. She will be allowed to stay with us, or if not, we will take her wherever she wishes to go."

Daniel pleaded with his friend, "Jack, she could be with her Dad. She could join the Tok'ra and continue to fight the Goa'uld."

Jack looked conflicted. It was obvious that he would do anything to save Carter, but at the same time he knew she would never want the life offered by this plan. He also knew she would be miserable having to live her life completely in exile. "What about her life here, Daniel? What about her marriage to Pete? She wants a normal life so badly. How can we take it away from her?"

As was typical, Teal'c provided the most rational argument for the plan. One that was sure to convince O'Neill. "She has already lost the possibility of that life, O'Neill. Should we not at least offer Colonel Carter the opportunity to start a new life?"

And Jack knew immediately that his Jaffa friend was right.

TBC


	7. Extraordinary Measures

**Chapter 6: Extraordinary Measures**

_The Following Morning, Peterson Air Force Base Brig_

Jack and Daniel arrived at the visitor's station check-in desk at the Peterson Air Force Base Brig, where Sam was being held until her trial. One of the guards on duty at the desk immediately straightened when he saw a general approaching the desk. He inquired, "General...sir, who are you here to see?"

Daniel answered the nervous looking airman, "We're here to see Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter."

The guard flipped through his records and grimaced. "I'm sorry, sirs. It might take a few minutes. She's on suicide watch right now and her guard will have to get her prepared to go to the visitation room."

Both Daniel and Jack were visibly upset by this news. "Thank you, Lieutenant," Jack replied calmly. The guard picked up a phone and called down to those guarding Carter, letting them know that she had visitors.

Once he had hung up the phone, the airman offered, "Let me go ahead and take you down to the visitation room. You can wait inside until the Colonel arrives."

As they were walking behind the airman, Daniel whispered to Jack, "Suicide watch? What does that mean for Sam?"

Jack grimaced. "Basically, they take away anything that she could use to kill herself. That includes certain articles of clothing, bed sheets, maybe even her pillow."

"You don't actually think she would hurt herself, do you?"

"No, I don't Daniel. But she is in a tough place right now. We don't know what her state of mind is like."

They were escorted into a room with two chairs at a desk facing a glass wall. The glass overlooked a room on the other side. The room had an eerie glow, as the dim fluorescent lights sputtered above them. There was a phone on the wall near the desk to communicate with the person who would soon be on the other side.

Daniel and Jack both took seats at the desk and waited in silence. Suddenly, the door on the other side opened and in walked Sam Carter being guided by a female guard. She was wearing a dark gray prison jumpsuit, looking pale and worn out. Her hands and feet were bound in handcuffs that were connected together by a series of chains. She took a seat opposite them and stared at her friends wearily without even offering her trademark smile in greeting. She reached up with both hands and pulled down the phone off of its hook. She fumbled clumsily with it until she finally managed to place it up to her right ear.

Daniel carefully picked up the phone on his side of the room. He smiled at his friend thoughtfully. "Hi Sam. We think we may have come up with a way out of this for you."

Sam continued to stare at Daniel, no sign of hopefulness or enthusiasm appeared on her face. She sighed in disappointment, "How, Daniel? The evidence against me is solid and I don't want to spend the rest of my life on the run. So if the plan is to have Thor beam me out of here, no thanks."

Daniel smirked. She really did know them well. "Actually, we already thought about that and Thor said no. In fact, I'm just going to step out for a bit and let Jack explain the plan to you in private."

Daniel seemed nervous to her as she watched him hand the phone to Jack and get up to leave. Sam eyed his back suspiciously as he left the room. She then turned to face her commanding officer. "Okay, sir. Out with it. What is this big mysterious plan of yours?"

Jack looked down at the desk nervously and replied, "Actually, it's Daniel's plan."

Sam demanded, "Then why are you explaining it to me and not him?"

Jack traced circles on the surface of the desk and squirmed a bit in his chair, "Well, you see...I have a bigger role to play in the plan than he does and I think he thought it would be better coming from me. I have no idea why. I'm more likely to screw this up. You know me. I'm not really good at explaining things."

Sam sighed, her frustration building gradually. "Just tell me the plan, sir."

He looked up into her eyes again. "Have you ever heard of diplomatic immunity?"

Her forehead crinkled in confusion. "Yes. But what does that have to do with my case? I'm not a diplomat."

"Well, it seems that I am," he explained, smiling proudly. "It seems I have been the Asgard ambassador to Earth for the past oh...about six years without even knowing it."

"Yes," she stated matter-of-factly.

Jack was dumbfounded. "You knew?"

Sam nodded slightly. "Thor mentioned something about it to Daniel after the whole cloning incident."

"Why am I always the last one to know about these things?"

She was starting to get annoyed with the way he was evading her questions. "The plan, sir?"

"Okay. It seems that under U.S. and International law, diplomats and their relatives are immune from arrest and prosecution."

"Relatives?" Sam inquired skeptically.

O'Neill averted his eyes from hers. "Yeah. Like say...wives."

She looked confused for just a second and then quickly composed herself. Her mouth gaped open in shock. "You are not really suggesting what I think you are suggesting? Are you sir?"

Jack waved his free hand in the air. "Carter, there is no easy way to say this...Will you marry me?"

She looked him directly in the eyes and offered a curt and decisive answer, "No."

Strangely enough, Jack did not look upset or surprised in the least. He had been expecting this. Daniel and Teal'c may have thought that Carter would jump at the opportunity, but he was more realistic. He knew she would have to be reassured of all the details before she could commit to the plan.

"Look, Carter. I know you have a fiancé, I know you have no desire to marry me, but you are possibly facing the death penalty here. They are not going to go easy on you." He paused and continued to reassure her, "It will be a marriage in name only. We will have the official documentation, but I'm not expecting you to have dinner on the table everyday by 1800 hours. If you marry me, Thor will take you wherever you want to go. You could join the Tok'ra and be near your Dad, you could stay with the people in the Land of Light. Hell, Thor has even offered to let you stay with the Asgard, although I don't think you would enjoy that as much considering your distaste for Asgard cuisine. Anything is better than lethal injection, Carter." His jokes were met by silence and a steely expression.

"No," she repeated resolutely and shook her head firmly in the negative. She added for good measure through gritted teeth, her tone fierce and determined, "I would rather die."

This time, he was astounded by her response. "What? Are you saying you would rather face the death penalty than marry me?" O'Neill exclaimed in bafflement.

"Yes. I won't do it," Sam reiterated.

Her words hurt and angered him to the core. Jack knew their relationship had been strained in recent months, but he had no idea she disliked him enough to choose death rather than a marriage to him. Jack glared at her and rose to leave. He had to escape from her presence before he was completely unable to contain his anger. "Glad to know how you really feel. Good luck in court, Carter. You're going to need it." With that he abruptly hung up the phone, turned and left the room, slamming the door on his way out.

If he had turned back only for a second, he would have witnessed the look of longing in Sam's eyes and the tears streaming down her face.

Daniel was waiting anxiously outside the room. He smiled at Jack in anticipation. His smile quickly faded as he saw the anger and confusion on O'Neill's face.

"She turned it down," Jack stated simply. He shrugged his shoulders and then ran his hands roughly through his hair.

Daniel was dumbfounded. "What? Are you kidding?"

Jack looked at his friend sadly. "No. Said she would rather die than marry me."

Daniel opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to find the words to form a response. He shook his head in disbelief, "I can't believe it. I know she was set to marry Pete, but she's willing to sacrifice her life to remain loyal to him? That's just crazy."

Jack reproachfully replied, "Maybe there are other factors that you didn't consider, Daniel."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that she probably takes the institution of marriage seriously. She is not going to marry someone she doesn't love."

As Jack stormed down the hall to leave, Daniel yelled after him, "Jack, you're right. She wouldn't marry someone she didn't love. But she does love you."

Without turning back to look at his friend, O'Neill quietly stated, "That's where you're wrong, Daniel. That's where you're wrong."

Daniel reentered the visitation room. Sam had risen from her seat and was facing away from him. Although he could only see her back, he could tell from her movements and posture that she was quietly sobbing. He picked up the phone and tapped on the window to get her attention.

She turned around as she wiped awkwardly at her wet cheeks. She didn't want to face him, but she reluctantly picked up the phone on her side of the room.

"Sam, what have you done?" he asked in reproach.

"I won't do it, Daniel. I know you want me to, but I can't. Please don't ask me to," she begged. Her voice was ragged and weary from crying.

"Why not, Sam? Why can't you marry Jack? Even if you didn't want that type of relationship with him, it's not like he is going to force you to act like husband and wife. It would be just a formality – a marriage on paper." He paused for second and then inquired, "Is this about Pete?"

Sam sniffled a little before replying, "No. I gave the ring back just before our last mission. I knew what I had to do and I didn't want him to be around to see the consequences. It's not his fault that he fell for someone with such a complicated life. He doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve a mess of a person like me. And neither does the General."

Daniel sighed, "Did you love Pete? Is that why you let him go?"

Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Not really. I guess the guilt just finally caught up with me. I didn't love him like I should have, Daniel. I never loved him enough. If I did, I never would have gone on that mission and contacted Thor. I would have kept my big mouth shut and kept myself safe and out of prison."

Daniel could not hide the confusion in his voice. "If it's not Pete, then why? Why won't you marry Jack? And don't say it's because you don't like him enough. I know the truth. I know you love him, Sam. He loves you too."

Sam became agitated. She answered firmly, "No, Daniel. Even if he felt that way about me once, he hasn't felt that way in a very long time. I won't drag him into this. I won't make him sacrifice his life to save mine."

Realization suddenly dawned on Daniel. "That's what this is about, isn't it? You think he doesn't really love you and want to marry you?" His voice became insistent, "Let me tell you something, Sam, he loves you so much that he was willing to let you go – willing to give you up so you could have a normal life with Pete. Possibly have children even. He wants everything that is good for you, Sam. Even if it doesn't include him."

Sam began crying again. She could no longer control the tears. Yet through the tears, Daniel could clearly hear the determination in her voice. "Even if you're right...I will not let him give up his life for me. If we get married, do you actually think that they won't court-martial him for fraternization? It'll be payback for allowing me to escape. They will remove him from the SGC, kick him out of the Air Force with a dishonorable discharge, and take away everything that he has worked so hard to achieve."

"Do you actually think any of that is worth anything to him if you die? It will destroy him, Sam. He would gladly give it all up to save you." Daniel smiled as another thought came to him, "Anyways, he has diplomatic immunity. They can't prosecute him."

Sam protested, "But they can discharge him. He is still a member of the United States Air Force. You really don't get it, Daniel. He may be willing to give it all up, but I'm not willing to let him. I think you should leave now. I'm really tired and want to go back to my cell now."

Her expression worried him. He had not seen his friend this despondent since the incident when Jolinar died. It was like she had already given up and for the first time since arriving he was grateful that the prison officials had been wise enough to put her on suicide watch.

He pleaded with her one last time, "Sam, just think about it some more... please. If you won't do it for yourself, think about all of the people who love you. I don't want to lose you and neither do Teal'c, your Dad, your brother, and especially Jack. We love you and our world would be empty without you."

Her eyes were empty and cold as she uttered her final words before turning away to call the guard, "Goodbye Daniel. Don't come here again."

Daniel left the room and walked down the hall to the check-in desk. He signed out on the visitor sheet and slowly made his way out of the building. Jack was standing beside his truck, waiting on Daniel and lost in his own thoughts.

Daniel approached him and stated resolutely, "You need to talk to her again. Convince her to go along with the plan."

Jack was impatient to go and didn't care to continue the conversation further. "I don't think so, Daniel. She made her feelings on the subject quite clear."

Daniel sighed in exasperation. "I really don't know what to do with you two. You are probably two of the most stubborn, obstinate people I know. You know, she only refused to marry you because she didn't want to drag you into the whole mess. She knows it would probably mean the end of your career."

Jack shouted gruffly at his friend, "Carter doesn't give a damn about me or my career. She just doesn't want to betray Pete." His eyes were still full of anger and hurt.

Daniel felt like screaming at his friend's stubborn ignorance. "That's not what she told me. She practically begged me not to ask her to go along with the plan. The reason she gave was that she wouldn't let you sacrifice your life and career for her. Besides, she called it off with Pete just before all this went down. She knew, Jack. She knew she would probably be arrested. She didn't want any loose ends, so she broke it off with him."

Jack's face briefly lit up with hope, which was quickly replaced with stoicism. "She still loves him, though."

"I think she cared about him a great deal," Daniel reasoned. "I'm not so sure she was ever in love with him. More like she was in love with the possible life he had to offer – a normal life with someone to come home to and children, a life where she was no longer alone at the end of the day."

Daniel paused before continuing, his tone unyielding, "Jack... she is still in love with you. She never stopped loving you. Don't you see? That's why she won't go along with the plan. She thinks you don't care about her in the same way and that you would only be doing it to save her life. She knows you care about her, and she thinks you would be giving it all up to be in a phony marriage that you don't even want."

Jack laughed cynically, "You have an overactive imagination, Daniel. She was engaged to another guy! She's not in love with me. Even if she did feel something for me... it was a very long time ago."

Daniel laughed at the familiar words. "Funny... she said the exact same thing about you just a few minutes ago. Think about it, Jack. She waited until she was off world to go off on her own to contact Thor. She didn't tell any of us what she was up to. She didn't ask for our help, she didn't even tell us what she had done when she got back."

Daniel continued to rationalize, "Why? Because she knew there would be a heavy price to pay and she was determined to be the only one to suffer the consequences. She still is. She doesn't regret what she did. It's almost as if she expects to die and is okay with it. That is, as long as we don't go down with her."

Jack remained doubtful. "She won't marry me because she wants to be the only one to carry the burden? You got all this from a fifteen minute conversation with her?"

Daniel nodded in affirmation. "Precisely. If she goes through with the trial and gets the death penalty or a life sentence, she feels as if she has succeeded. She has protected the Earth by getting rid of the weapon and she has protected those she loves by keeping us out of the line of fire. Typical Sam, if you ask me."

Daniel's words finally sunk in and Jack realized that his friend had made an accurate appraisal of the situation. All of the anger, all of the confusion suddenly melted away and all that was left was a feeling of warmth and an ardent determination.

"Damn!" Jack exclaimed. "Daniel, get in the truck and let's get out of here. I need to get a marriage license and someone to officiate at a wedding. Today, if at all possible."

"What about Sam?"

Jack smiled rebelliously at Daniel and responded decisively, "Colonel Carter is going to marry me, even if I have to use extraordinary measures."

TBC


	8. ZatGun Wedding

_Author's Note: Just want to say thanks again to everyone who has reviewed. I really appreciate it! And I also wanted to issue a warning. From hereon out, the story contains a large amount of fluff. The beginning of the fic is angsty, so I had to get the romance in somewhere!_ ; )

**Chapter 7: Zat-Gun Wedding**

_The Following Afternoon, Petersen Air Force Base Brig_

Sam watched with growing trepidation as the group of men entered the visitation room. The first one in the room was a nervous-looking Daniel, which announced to Sam that something was definitely going on.

He was followed by Jack and Teal'c, whose faces revealed absolutely nothing. The surprise came when a fourth man, a man she had never seen before, entered the room behind them. He was a slightly balding older man, dressed in an Air Force officer's uniform.

Daniel smiled at her in greeting, picked up the phone near the desk, and introduced the stranger. "Hey Sam. This is Colonel Brad Roemer."

Daniel then passed the phone to Roemer. "Nice to finally meet you Colonel Carter," he began. Sam eyed the man suspiciously. She finally understood why he was there when she noticed the badge on his uniform.

"You're a chaplain?" Her voice was accusatory.

"Yes. I've heard so much about you from General O'Neill."

Her posture remained tense and guarded. "Why are you here?" she asked warily.

Daniel took the phone from Colonel Roemer's hand to intervene. "Sam, we have all agreed that our plan is for the best. Colonel Roemer is here to marry you and Jack."

She didn't even flinch at the announcement, but instead glared first at Daniel and then pointedly at General O'Neill. "Over my dead body."

Jack stepped forward and forcefully grabbed the phone from Daniel. Donning his most General-like attitude and voice, he demanded, "Listen up Colonel. You will go through with this. That is an order. I have given Teal'c permission to zat you if you do not comply."

She glared at Jack defiantly. "You are not my C.O. anymore, sir. I do not have to follow your orders. Besides, there is no way that they allowed Teal'c to bring a zat in here. I'm not even sure it would work through this glass."

Jack had, of course, been bluffing about the zat. His expression melted in disappointment at her continued defiance. He decided to use a different tactic. He would plead with her. "What can I do to get you to agree to this?"

Sam remained completely composed and noticeably distant. "Absolutely nothing. There is no way on this planet or any other that I will go through with this outrageous plan. People don't get married like this."

Jack's eyebrows shot up in curiosity and answered simply, "Why not?"

Her unceasing composure was finally shaken by this simple question. She wasn't sure exactly how to answer it. She began mumbling excuses. "Because...My being accused of high treason does not constitute a good enough reason to get married. Again, I repeat, people don't get married like this."

"What would be a good enough reason?" Jack inquired. Sam shrugged noncommittally.

The General's eyes suddenly conveyed a furious intensity and his voice became markedly serious.

"How about I give you some valid reasons, Colonel? I **want** to marry you. Not because I want to save your life, although that is certainly part of it. I want to marry you because I love that you drink diet soda because you like the taste, I love the way you smile when I tell a crappy joke, I love the way your eyes sparkle when you're trying to confuse the hell out of me with your techno-babble, I love the tiny crinkle you get in your forehead when you are thinking too hard, I love the way you never give up even when the situation seems hopeless, and I love the way I feel at the end of a day spent in your company. In short, although I have not always shown it, I love you and I have for a very, very long time. And now that I have made a complete ass of myself in front of these fine people, were those good enough reasons?"

"What do you want from me?" Sam was clearly flustered, but not embarrassed by his outburst. In fact, it appeared that her worry and agitation had only intensified.

Jack responded with his trademark grin. "Perhaps you could start by telling me that you love me too and that you'll marry me. Please, Carter. Even though I would do anything to save you, you have to understand that by doing this you are not making me sacrifice anything. Quite the opposite actually. You would be helping me realize something that I never even dared to hope for."

Sam was finding it difficult to respond to him. Her emotions had run the gamut in a period of just a few minutes – starting with irritation at the guys for insisting that their plan was the only way, fury at Jack when he ordered her to marry him, sadness that he was so determined to sacrifice his life for hers, confusion that he might actually really love her, and finally the utter happiness that just a couple of weeks ago she had concluded she would never feel again.

She did not answer him with words. Instead, she gazed at him through the glass separating them. The expressions they wore were eerily familiar to both. Her despair-filled eyes were telling him to go – to not sacrifice himself. His, in contrast, were filled with a combination of near panic and defiance, conveying to her that he would not leave her behind no matter what the costs. In an instant they were transported back in time, remembering another barrier that had separated them from each other.

_I didn't leave because...I would have rather died myself than lose Carter._

The thought still held true. Jack shook off the memories of force shields and Goa'uld ships just in time to see a smile dawn on Sam's face and her gentle nod of affirmation.

He turned to Daniel, "I need to get on the other side of this room. I need to be next to her when we do this."

Daniel tried to dissuade him. "Jack... we can conduct the ceremony through the glass. They won't let you on the other side. It was difficult enough to get Colonel Roemer in here. Let's not push our luck."

Jack shot Daniel a mischievous smirk, "Why not? It's what we do. After all, what good is it being a General if you can't do whatever you want? Right?"

Jack quickly exited the room in search of the guards. About fifteen minutes later, the door on Sam's side of the room opened and in rushed Brigadier General Jack O'Neill. He moved quickly to Sam's side and pulled her into an enveloping embrace, burying his head in the curve of her neck, as if he was afraid she just might disappear into thin air. His hand went to cup the back of her head and as he pulled back to look at her face, he pointedly gazed into her eyes.

He tenderly cupped her face between his hands and reassured her, "Everything is going to be okay. You're not alone anymore, Sam. Whatever happens from now on, we are in it together. Just the way it was meant to be."

Sam, still in shock from the events of the last hour, was rendered speechless by his words and actions. Instead of answering him, she compliantly nodded with tear-filled eyes and moved to clasp his left hand between her two cuffed ones. With a gentle squeeze, she assured him that she was now ready to go forth with the plan placed before her.

Not taking his eyes off of his beautiful bride all dressed in prison gray, Jack gently picked up the phone on Sam's side of the room and stated, "Alright, Colonel Roemer. Let's get this show on the road."

Sam softly leaned her head on Jack's shoulder as she listened intently to Colonel Roemer as he began the ceremony with the words, "Dearly beloved..."

TBC


	9. Introducing Mr and Mrs O'Neill

_Author's Note: This is the chapter where the legal issues become a little murky. I just wanted to reiterate what I state in the disclaimer. The real laws and policies surrounding diplomatic immunity are much different than what I portray in this chapter. For example, permanent residents (both citizen and non-citizen) of the United States are not eligible for diplomatic immunity in the U.S., regardless of diplomatic status (thus, neither Sam nor Jack would be eligible for it in real life). But this is fiction and I figure that the U.S. government would have to adapt the laws slightly in this case considering the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations is not really designed to deal with relations between the United States and alien societies with quite different systems of justice. For those interested in knowing about the real policies and regulations concerning diplomatic immunity, the UN has a site on the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which is the basic document all member nations follow in regards to diplomatic immunity._

**Chapter 8: Introducing Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill**

_0800, Courtroom, Peterson Air Force Base_

"All arise! The honorable Colonel William R. Myers presiding."

The judge, attired in dress blues, took his seat behind the podium. He carefully reviewed the file before him and then looked up to assess the people currently sitting in his courtroom.

Sitting at the prosecution's table to his left was a very familiar face. "Major Wolf...I see you are handling the prosecution for this case. Are you ready to present your opening statement?"

The major, a man in his early forties, seemed comfortable and poised – as if he had tried many similar cases that had resulted in his favor. "Yes I am, Colonel, sir," he replied confidently.

Before the major could say another word Sam's attorney, Captain Edward Phillips, eagerly stood up and interrupted. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sirs. But may I approach the bench?"

"What is it Captain?" the judge asked gruffly, sizing up the young Captain.

"Colonel, sir...a development has arisen that I need to discuss with both you and Major Wolf," Phillips answered with assurance.

Colonel Myers did not appear to be too amused by this. After all, he was unfamiliar with Phillips and was unimpressed by what he had seen so far. But, he was willing to give the young man in charge of the defense the benefit of the doubt. "Very well...counsels approach the bench." Both Phillips and Wolf did as they were instructed.

When they both were standing before Myers, he looked sharply at Phillips and prodded, "Captain? What is this all about?"

Phillips tried to keep his expression from looking too smug. "Well, sir...it has come to my attention that my client has recently married an ambassador and thus has diplomatic immunity."

The judge and prosecutor immediately exclaimed in unison, "What?"

Major Wolf looked shocked and a bit angered. "Well... she wasn't two weeks ago when she was arrested!"

"It was a recent development that occurred during the Lieutenant Colonel's incarceration." Phillips paused and handed file folders to both Myers and Wolf. "I have all of the documentation here to back this up...the marriage license, an official statement from the Asgard regarding the ambassadorial status of Colonel Carter's husband, and a State Department record from six years ago stating confirmation of his status as an ambassador."

The judge looked at Phillips in irritation, "Are you kidding me, Captain?"

"No sir!" Phillips reassured him. "These documents prove beyond a doubt that Colonel Carter indeed is the wife of an official ambassador, and thus has diplomatic immunity according U.S., International, and Asgard law. I thoroughly researched this with the State Department. Any spouse of a documented and officially recognized ambassador is immune from arrest and prosecution in the United States."

Major Wolf was infuriated. This young upstart was trying the pull the rug out from under his case, and he was not about to let that happen. After all, the case had been pretty much in the bag for the prosecution up until a few moments before. "Captain...she can't claim diplomatic status from another planet!"

Again, Phillips appeared calm and assured. He smiled slightly as he replied, "Actually sir...the Asgard are a race. They, in fact, inhabit many planets throughout many galaxies. And in response to your statement, there is no law stating that an officer in the United States Air Force cannot claim diplomatic status from another foreign nation... or planet, for that matter. Once Colonel Carter married the Asgard Ambassador to Earth, according to Asgard law, she automatically became a citizen of the Asgard Confederation. And since the State Department has clearly recognized the Colonel's husband as an ambassador, this court must also recognize his status."

The prosecutor objected, "With all due respect, Colonel Myers...this is ridiculous! Even if she is married to an ambassador...he didn't marry her until after she was apprehended. She may have immunity now, but she surely did not have it several weeks ago when she committed the crime."

Phillips, usually mild-mannered and polite, glared at Major Wolf with steely gray eyes, "With all due respect, Major...my client is innocent until proven guilty and as a superior officer...a highly decorated and well-respected officer to boot, you should refer to my client by her rank. Not as 'she.'"

The Major, clearly taken aback by the change in his opponent's demeanor, simply nodded his apology.

Phillips then continued, "The fact that my client only recently obtained diplomatic status has no bearing. The Asgard happen to have their own laws concerning diplomatic immunity, laws the U.S. government agreed to abide by when it signed our treaty with the Asgard. One of those laws states that Asgard citizens serving in a diplomatic capacity on other planets must be free from arrest and prosecution. This law also applies automatically to their relatives. As soon as Colonel Carter married the ambassador, she immediately became immune from prosecution. If you don't believe me, your honor, you can check the details with the State Department."

Colonel Myers addressed Captain Phillips in a serious tone, "That is exactly what I plan on doing, Captain. And I warn you, I don't tolerate courtroom theatrics here. If I find that you have wasted this court's time, you will be held in contempt. You may get away with this kind of thing in Washington, but I am not so tolerant."

Myers then instructed the two counselors to take their seats and addressed the full court, "A matter of some importance has come up. We will be in recess for two hours. We will adjourn until 1030." And with that, the honorable Colonel William R. Myers banged his gavel, stood, and abruptly left the room.

_1030, Courtroom, Petersen Air Force Base_

"All arise."

The judge took his seat, the others in the small courtroom immediately following suit.

He began, "I don't know what the hell is going on here and I don't really care. I have just had a two-hour conference call with the Joint Chiefs, the General Court-Martial Convening Authority, and the State Department."

He then addressed Sam's lawyer, "According to the people at State, Captain Phillips, your plea for diplomatic immunity for your client is to be upheld. It seems that the State Department was well aware of General O'Neill's status as an ambassador. Although, I don't think they ever imagined the possibility of this situation occurring."

He again addressed the rest of the courtroom, "This is truly an unprecedented event and hopefully in the very near future the State Department will establish some clearer precedents on how diplomatic immunity will apply not just on an international level but on intergalatic one as well. The advent and growth of the Stargate Program has thrust our nation and planet into a new era.We must make certain that our laws are able to adapt and keep up with the vast changes we will be facing in the coming years."

The judge let out a long sigh. "In this particular case, in accordance with the Asgard-Earth Treaty, it has been decided that all charges against Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter-O'Neill are dismissed . She is free to go."

Colonel Myers then addressed Sam directly, "I do want to point out first, however, that you are still a member of the United States Air Force, Colonel. You are hereby ordered to report to your duty assignment on Monday at 0800. At that time, you will find out what the Joint Chiefs and State decide to do with you from there. Court dismissed."

As soon as the judge had made his pronouncement, smiles of relief broke out on the faces of all of the men sitting in the front row. Daniel turned to Jack and pulled him into a manly embrace. Similar expressions were shared with Teal'c and Captain Phillips. The only one in this band of friends who did not look ecstatic was the woman still sitting at the table in front of them.

Instead of looking relieved or happy, the former defendant appeared to be in shock. Sam's face was blank but bewilderment was evident in her eyes. It was as if she were asking anyone and everyone, 'So what do I do now?'

Noticing Colonel Carter's silence, her lawyer put his hand on her shoulder and congratulated her. "You did it, Colonel. You're free."

Sam quietly and desperately spoke, "But what now? Where am I going to go? What's going to happen to me?"

A soft, deep voice from behind her answered, "I don't know, Sam. But whatever is to come, I do know that I will be right there with you. Always."

Sam rose, turned, and launched herself into the awaiting arms of her new husband and began sobbing into his shoulder. Jack knew instinctively that these uncharacteristic tears were merely ones of release. Sam had been holding her emotions in check for so long, trying so hardto bear this burden alone. With the trial now over at last, she needed an emothional catharsis.

"It's alright, Sam. It's alright, sweetheart. It's over...you're going to be okay," Jack comforted her as she continued to clutch onto him as if he were her only lifeline.

When she had finished crying, he pulled back to look into her eyes. He gently wiped away an errant tear on her cheek with his thumb. "What do you say we get out of here, Mrs. O'Neill?"

Sam, quickly composing herself, sniffed a little and chuckled, "Where do you want to go, Mr. O'Neill?"

"Oh, I think I know just the spot – land of sky-blue waters...loofahs... yasureyabetcha...snookums...Besides, I could really go for some fishing right now and I still owe my lovely wife a honeymoon if I remember correctly."

Sam looked at him doubtfully and laughed. "Fishing?"

"Not just fishing. Lots and lots of fishing."

Sam smiled brightly at him and admitted, "I could go for some fishing." And Jack could not resist at that moment taking her face in his hands and kissing her deeply, overjoyed that he would finally get to take Sam Carter fishing.

TBC


	10. Land of Sky Blue Waters

**Chapter 9: Land of Sky-Blue Waters**

_Jack's Cabin, Minnesota_

Sam lounged in an Adirondack chair, enjoying the warm sunshine and gentle breeze. What she would give to stay there forever. After the trial, she and Jack had spent three glorious days at his cabin in Minnesota. Not only did the time there aid in releasing the tension Sam had built up over the course of her arrest and trial, it provided a welcome opportunity for both of them to get to know each other and be themselves away from the Air Force and SGC.

Their first evening there, they had seriously discussed the events that had brought them to this point. Both Sam and Jack were still somewhat insecure about the other's true feelings. Although he knew Sam had agreed to the marriage, Jack still worried that she might have only done so because it was the lesser of two evils. For her part, Sam, although knowing Jack loved her, worried that he had been pressured into marriage before he was ready. She still agonized over the idea that he might have only agreed to the marriage in order to save her life.

As she sat outside, looking out over the pond, Sam contemplated their conversation of that first night. They had been sitting on the sofa by the fire, relaxing after the long flight to Minnesota and subsequent drive to the cabin. Jack had put his arm around her as she leaned further against him and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Sam?" Jack hestitantly whispered.

"Hmm," she lazily replied.

"Are you okay with how this all played out?"

"If this moment is anything to go by, then I am more than okay," she answered. She lifted her head to look at him questioningly. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just...you had to give up a lot in this scenario. You lost Pete..."

"Yes, I did," she stopped him and added, "But what I have gained more than makes up for what I lost, Jack. I did love Pete..."

Jack shook his head and interrupted, "You don't have to explain..."

"No...You need to hear this." Sam looked up at her husband with a serious expression before continuing, "I loved Pete and I loved having someone care about me in that way - freely, openly. And yes, I thought I wanted a future with him. But only because I lost hope of ever having a future with you. I **never** loved him the way I love you. You are the only one that can make me melt with just a glance, or make me smile with just a word. I can't even describe it...when I'm with you, I feel whole."

Jack smiled at this revelation and quipped, "Tell me how you really feel."

Sam lifted her lips to his and tenderly kissed him before replying, "I absolutely adore you, Jack O'Neill."

"That's good to know," he replied before once again placing his lips over hers.

After that conversation, both were now fully aware that they had been in love with each other for a very long time. However, this was truly the first time they had been able to be alone together without the restraints of regulations and duty oppressively hanging over them. In the isolation of Minnesota, they could truly be together and be themselves without fear or restraint.

And it was wonderful. The flirtatious banter and joking around were to be expected. What was so unexpected was that they actually had a lot in common outside of the SGC and truly enjoyed each other's company. They both enjoyed outdoor activities, had a mutual love of astronomy, had a similar sense of humor, and were surprisingly in agreement on most political and social issues. And Sam found quickly that she could tolerate the Simpson's and hockey if Jack could tolerate techno-babble and old romantic movies.

Their time at the cabin also served to release another form of tension that had been building up over the years – that of the sexual variety. When they first arrived at the cabin, Jack had been adamant about taking things slow and getting to know each other better on a personal level before taking things further. Sam also agreed at that time that the decision was the wisest. By the end of the second day, however, she had changed her mind.

It had started around dusk on the second day. Jack had been sitting in a chair at the end of his dock, lazily waiting for any non-existent fish to bite. Sam watched him from a window for several minutes and then quickly made up her mind to act. She had quietly approached the dock, careful not to disturb him. She sat directly on the edge of the dock and dangled her bare feet in the cold water. Leaning slightly against Jack's outstretched leg, she hesitantly placed one hand on his bare leg.

At her gentle touch, Jack lifted up his sunglasses and looked down at Sam questioningly. She returned his gaze, but filled her own with all of the longing and desire she currently was feeling. Undoubtedly, he understood her silent request, for he put down his fishing rod, got up out of his chair and joined her in sitting on the dock.

He laced his fingers through hers and playfully wrapped one of his bare feet around her leg in the water. Suddenly, he reached out with his other hand to tenderly caress her cheek. Sam quickly turned her head to meet his palm with a kiss. They drew closer together and embraced spontaneously, devouring each other's lips in a searing kiss.

Between kisses, Sam began to murmur, "Please... Jack...I don't want to wait anymore... I want to be with you."

At these mumbled words, Jack broke away from her and abruptly rose. At first, Sam was devastated, thinking he was rejecting her. Her dismay was soon erased, as Jack bent to offer his hand to his wife.

"I think we better go inside, Mrs. O'Neill. It's going to get a little chilly out here in a few minutes. Besides, I can think of a better place than this...for...you know." His eyebrows wiggled suggestively and Sam let out a small chuckle in response.

Sam took his proffered hand to stand up and retained her hold on it as they walked all the way to the cabin. As they entered the cabin together, Jack turned to Sam and looked at her adoringly – an uncharacteristic expression for him, but one she noted had become more common in the past few days.

He stopped suddenly, his words awkward and adorably shy. "Sam...I just...I need you to know something...before we go any further. I know it's sappy... and I'm not good with these kinds of things, so don't expect it to be a regular occurrence or anything...but I love you, so much. And I always will."

She placed a brief kiss on his lips and then clutched him tightly to her. "I know, Jack. And I think you know that I feel exactly the same...I love you too. More than I've ever loved anyone in my life." Her expression suddenly changed and her eyes reflected what only could be described as desperation, "Jack...Please don't ever leave me...I need you with me..."

"Always," he pledged.

And so they spent the second night and much of the third day in bed. They only emerged around noon on the third day to search for food. Currently, Jack was making sandwiches while Sam waited outside, soaking up the sunshine, sipping lemonade, and relaxing.

Jack sauntered out of the cabin, precariously balancing two paper plates filled with food in one hand and his beer in the other. He handed one plate to Sam who smiled brightly at him in appreciation. He then took the seat next to her. As they began eating their lunches, Jack brought up a subject that he knew was necessary, but which he had been dreading.

"You know we have to head back to Colorado tonight?" he inquired.

Sam merely nodded and continued eating her sandwich in silence. He continued, "The plane leaves at 1900. Daniel's going to pick us up at the airport in Denver."

Sam frowned slightly. "I know. I just didn't want to think about it yet. The past couple of days have been so...magical. I hate to think of what's going to happen next."

"Don't you worry about it, Sam. Whatever happens, we will both be alright because we will be together. Just remember that."

Sam sighed wearily. "That's the only thing that's getting me through this whole thing." She smiled at the thought and then paused as a cloud of worry washed over her face. "Jack...the reason I didn't want to marry you initially...it's still there. I don't want you to give up your career for me. The SGC still needs you..."

Jack frowned darkly. "Oh, no...you are not getting rid of me, Mrs. O'Neill. You married me, you're stuck with me. Besides, I don't think the Air Force is too happy with the little stunt we pulled. By now, I should be officially retired."

"Oh God, Jack...I'm so sorry," Sam apologized sincerely.

"No big deal. I've retired a couple times before, although this is the best reason I've had so far for doing it."

Jack took Sam's hand in his, making her relinquish the remainder of her sandwich. Once she had placed it on her plate, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "When you asked me last night to never leave you...I meant what I said, Sam. I will always be there with you. And it goes both ways. A long time ago I said that I would rather die than lose you. I know now that I would die if you ever left me. So... please... don't...don't try to leave me behind. I couldn't bear it."

"Never," she replied, giving Jack's hand a reassuring squeeze in return.

They continued to sit in the sun, eating their sandwiches and sipping their drinks for several minutes. Sam tentatively initiated the next subject.

"So..."

"So...?" Jack responded.

"So...we've determined that we're stuck with each other. The question is, I guess, what would you prefer to do? If I am exiled off world?"

"Well, we could go live with the rebel Jaffa or the Hak'tyl. That way we could both continue the fight against the Gould. And we would probably get to see Danny and T a lot," Jack suggested.

Sam shook her head warily. "I don't know, Jack. I would feel somewhat uncomfortable living amongst people that we don't know that well. I mean, we would always be outsiders...no matter if we are their allies and Teal'c's friends. Besides, what would I do? They really don't have much need for an astrophysicist slash wormhole technology expert."

"True," Jack nodded in agreement. "So...where were you going to suggest?"

"We could go live with the Tok'ra. We could be with Dad and I could make a real contribution. They deal more with science and technology than the Jaffa do."

Jack grimaced when he heard the word 'Tok'ra.' "I don't know, Sam. You know how I feel about the Tok'ra, with the exception of Dad...and he'll probably dismember me when he finds out we're married. Besides...living underground all the time, always on the run, going on undercover missions for months... it's just not a good environment. You know...for a family."

At the word 'family,' Sam's eyes grew large and her mouth gaped open. "Family? You want to have a family? With me?" she asked in disbelief.

Jack gazed at his wife longingly, "Personally, I can't think of anything I want more. But I want you to be happy...and if living with the Tok'ra will make you happy then..."

"No! No..." Sam countered.

Jack continued, "I don't want to rush you about this, either. You don't even need to think about it just now. Just keep it in the back of your mind and let me know if and when you are ready to talk about it more."

He had never seen such a look of tenderness grace Sam's face. "Oh, Jack," she sighed. Tenderness was soon replaced with resolve, as Sam announced, "I guess the Tok'ra are out then. But I don't think the current planets that the Hak'tyl and rebel Jaffa reside on are exactly the best places to raise children either. But one of them will have to do if necessary."

Jack grinned widely as he absorbed her meaning, "So...you want to have kids with me?"

She nodded firmly. "Most definitely."

As they both turned their attention back to their sandwiches, they each took a simultaneous bite and then turned to each other grinning widely - their minds filled with dreams of their future lives together.

As a postscript to their conversation, Jack added, "You know, we could always settle on Argos. Nice people there...lots of kids...miles of beaches..."

Sam interrupted his list of Argos's qualifications, "...way too many distractions of the female persuasion. And the answer is absolutely not. I don't trust their selection of desserts."

"Oh, come on, Sam. The cake was actually pretty good, minus the nasty aging side effect. We could completely retire there. Spend our days being beach bums and making love all day. Besides... no one can hold a candle to you."

"Stop with the clichés, Jack, and give me a kiss." Jack readily compiled with his wife's orders.

_Monday, 0800, SGC Briefing Room_

Jack and Sam sat next to each other, nervously holding hands under the briefing room table. Neither had any idea what was going to happen to them. They both knew that the United States government would most likely discharge Sam and make Jack retire again, but beyond that they had no idea as to what had been decided by the bigwigs in Washington.

A few minutes later General George Hammond, their former commanding officer, entered the room. He took a seat at the end of the table, the place where he always used to sit, and looked at the two officers sympathetically.

He began quietly, "Colonel, General...I just want to say that it has always been my honor to work with you both. You two were the finest officers I ever had the pleasure of having under my command."

Jack looked stoically at Hammond. "'Were' being the key word..." he noted.

"You're correct, Jack. You Jack, are being strongly 'encouraged' to retire. Sam is going to be honorably discharged from the Air Force. If you go quietly, the U.S. government is willing to let you keep your benefits and your records will not be tarnished in any way. The paperwork will be filed this afternoon."

"And?" Jack knew there was more by George's demeanor.

"The State Department, in consultation with the Joint Chiefs and President, has issued deportation orders, Sam." Hammond looked to directly address her, "You are hereby ordered to report back to the SGC within a week to go through the Stargate. You will gate to a planet of your own choosing, without the benefit of a GDO."

Sam sighed in desperation, "So I can't ever come back, can I sir?"

Hammond shook his head and frowned at her obvious distress. "I'm sorry Sam. I talked them into allowing you a week to visit your families and to get your things in order. Unfortunately, I could only get you a week. They were not happy with the way you got out of the trial. Felt as if they had been tricked or hoodwinked. While I know the President is secretly happy that you are free, Sam, even he knows that an example has to be set."

"I understand, sir. And thank you for your help," Sam acknowledged.

"I know this is hard for you both. Just let me know if there is anything I can do to make it easier on you. This country certainly owes you more than this after all you've done."

"Thank you, sir. I can truly say it was an honor serving with you too," Sam stated and Jack nodded in agreement.

Jack and Sam then stood to leave. They only had a few precious days to say their goodbyes to their friends and family and to get all of their affairs in order. They wanted to get started as soon as possible.

Before they turned towards the door, Hammond stopped them. "Jack...Sam...I do have something else I want to talk to you about." Jack and Sam once again sat down, looking slightly perplexed. "Have you two given any thought as to where you are going to go? I assume you are both going to go off world together?"

Jack looked at Sam with a raised eyebrow. They had discussed the subject at the cabin, but had not come to any definitive decisions. Jack explained, "Well, sir... Yes, we are going together. As to where...I think we need to discuss it more. Currently we are leaning toward living with the Hak'tyl or the rebel Jaffa."

George smiled at them kindly. "I might be able to offer you an alternative, if you would be interested?"

"Sure, George...we're still open to suggestions." Jack had no problem using the General's first name for once in his life. After all, he was no longer in the Air Force and George was no longer a superior officer, but a friend.

"How would you two like to go to the Alpha Site? You could live there on base, at least initially. There are plans in the works for establishing a more permanent settlement on the surface eventually as well."

"What would we do there, General?" Sam asked, trying to control her excitement.

Hammond smiled, happy that he could provide his two brightest officers with a new start. "Well, I have been authorized to offer Jack and Sam O'Neill positions working at the Alpha Site as civilians. Jack...you would be in charge of the training program there, as well as providing occasional consultation work. Sam...you would be working in the labs, continuing most of the research that you have been working on here. You would be working as resident aliens, and hence no paycheck or future benefits – but you would still receive compensation in the form of room, board, medical care, and other supplies that could be sent regularly from Earth. You will also be one of the first to receive housing if the budget for the residential area on the surface is approved. In addition, you would be able to regularly see and work with many of your friends like Dr. Jackson, Teal'c, maybe even Cassie."

"Why sir? Why would the Pentagon authorize this?" Sam questioned.

"The Joint Chiefs might be embarrassed by your little plan, but they are not stupid. They realize that it would be unwise to let two of our best resources slip through their fingers. This way...they get the vindication they desire while retaining two people that are essential to the Stargate Program."

"I have a feeling that you had something to do with this, General. It seems we are again in your debt," Sam stated softly, smiling sweetly at her former commanding officer. She rose and moved toward the General, wrapping her arms around the man who had done so much for them.

TBC


	11. Epilogue

_Author's Note: This is the last chapter. Thanks so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. I especially want to thank the people who took the time to review this fic. Being a person who unfortunately lacks self-confidence, it was actually more difficult to post this fic than to write it in the first place. I cannot express how much your reviews have meant to me._

**Chapter 10: Epilogue**

_One Year Later, SGC Alpha Site_

Daniel and Teal'c stepped from the wormhole, behind a large group of SGC trainees that filled the Alpha Site's Gate room. They were expecting to be met by Jack, as he was usually waiting impatiently on the other side for the trainees as they arrived on their first trip through the Stargate. This time, he was noticeably absent.

Instead, Colonel Reynolds stood before the group of young men and women. "Good afternoon, I am Colonel Reynolds of the SGC and, unfortunately for you, your friendly instructor for this training session. I know you were all expecting to get the opportunity to work with the famous Brigadier General Jack O'Neill, retired. Unfortunately, he will be indisposed for the next few days. If you'relucky, you may get a chance to meet the man, but don't get your hopes up."

At this, Daniel and Teal'c looked at each other in worry, wondering what could have happened to Jack.

Reynolds continued his introductory speech and then instructed the trainees to head for the conference room for their first briefing at the Alpha Site. Once all of the new recruits had left the room, Daniel and Teal'c approached Reynolds, concern evident on their faces.

"Dr. Jackson, Teal'c...nice to see you this fine afternoon," he greeted them cheerfully.

"Nice to see you too, Colonel. Um...where exactly is Jack?" Daniel asked.

"Not to worry, Doctor. He's in the infirmary. Nothing serious, but you might want to go down and see him," Reynolds answered before turning to leave to join the recruits in the conference room.

As he was walking through the door, Daniel stopped Reynolds and asked, "What about Sam? Do you know where she might be?"

"I sure do, Doc. She should be in the infirmary with Jack. It's been a very, very long night."

Daniel looked puzzled by Reynolds's words. Daniel then proceeded to walk towards the infirmary with Teal'c right at his side. Reynolds had claimed that it was not serious, but they still worried about their friend. They both knew it had to be serious, if it was enough to keep even Sam from meeting them at the Gate.

They entered the infirmary and found a surprising sight. Sam was sound asleep, tucked safely in one of the infirmary beds. The lights had been dimmed, apparently to facilitate her rest. A fully dressed Jack was sitting in a chair right beside her bed. Other than appearing somewhat tired, he was obviously fine physically. That in itself was not too surprising. What was surprising was that he held something bundled in his arms.

"Hey guys!" Jack whispered as he saw them enter the room. "You couldn't have timed it better. This is Grace Janet O'Neill. Six pounds, eleven ounces, born at 0230 this morning." Jack glowed with pride.

Daniel and Teal'c looked at the tiny baby in awe. She was so small and pink and her face was scrunched up as if deep in thought. Daniel hesitantly asked, "Can I hold her?"

"Sure," Jack answered as he handed Grace to him gently.

Immediately, Daniel began to make funny sounds to entertain the baby. At the sound of his voice, Grace's tightly closed eyes opened revealing two bright blue orbs filled with wonder. Jack merely grinned at his friend's actions. It was obvious that Grace was going to have everyone wrapped around her tiny fingers within mere seconds.

"She looks like Sam. Although I spy a hint of the O'Neill determination in her expression," Daniel noted.

Teal'c peeked at the baby from over Daniel's shoulder and smiled softly at the infant. "She is indeed very beautiful, O'Neill. Congratulations to both you and Samantha."

"Thanks T. I can't argue with you there. Carter and I sure do know how to make 'em, don't we?" he joked.

The sound of voices finally woke the woman sleeping in the bed near them. Sam eyes fluttered open and a tired smile broke over her face. "Hey guys. When did you get here?"

Daniel looked up from the infant who had already completely entranced him to smile widely at his exhausted friend. "Hey Sam. We just got here. Looks like Grace decided to make an early appearance. We were planning on being here for the birth."

"Be glad you weren't, Daniel. Mrs. O'Neill is not nearly the mild-mannered scientist she pretends to be. The language that came out of her mouth was enough to make even me blush." Jack winked at his wife, "I think you permanently traumatized the poor doctor."

Sam smirked at him and objected, "You are so exaggerating, Jack. And anyway, I think I am entitled to use some colorful language. I just spent almost nine months in complete discomfort, followed by ten hours in intense and excruciating pain."

"But look what you got for it, Sam," Daniel softly noted as he walked over and handed the baby to her mother.

Sam took Grace and cradled her in the crook of one arm. "You know, I never thought I would live to see this day. I didn't even think about having children of my own for so very long. I was so focused on my career and working at the SGC that it didn't even enter my mind."

Grace then took the opportunity to latch onto her mother's fingers with a tiny hand. Sam smiled in wonder at the little life that she and Jack had created. "When I finally decided that I was ready and that it was something that I wanted, I came to the conclusion that it would never happen. You know, the timing always seemed to be screwed up." She paused to place a gentle kiss on the soft hair on Grace's head.

She continued, "After the Joint Chiefs decided to keep the device from PX7-496, I couldn't think of anything else but how much I wanted a child someday. I was haunted by the prospect of being alone and never having kids or a family of my own, like the people of that planet. I think it was the main reason I did what I did. I knew I might spend the rest of my life in prison, or that I might even get the death penalty, but I couldn't be responsible for other women facing that kind of heartbreak. I couldn't be responsible for what would've happened to Earth. It's strange, really...my actions led to this moment. I probably wouldn't have married Jack and we wouldn't even have Grace now if I hadn't done what I did. So, everything worked out in the end."

"Just as it was meant to," Jack added as he clasped her free hand in his and kissed it softly.

Sam lay back against the pillows of her bed. Her eyelids suddenly becoming heavy as she drifted off into a peaceful sleep – surrounded by her best friends, embracing her sweet Grace, and holding the hand of the man she loved.

The End


End file.
